Councillor questioned over libel of ex-cop

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

A senior councillor from the Crescent Star Party (PBB) in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) was questioned on Monday as a suspect in a libel case.

This is the second time that Arief Rahman has faced such a charge. He has been accused of defaming the province's former police chief, Brig. Gen. Jacky Uly in his statement published by local media that the former NTT police chief accepted a bribe from a bank scandal suspect.

Arief, former leader of the PBB faction in the NTT legislative council, reportedly told the media that Jacky received a "fee" worth Rp 500 million (US$56,139) from Louisa Junus Giri, a key suspect in the Mandiri Bank scandal involving Rp 4.7 billion.

Louisa is being tried at the Kupang District Court for his alleged role in the theft that took place at the end of 2003.

Arief was grilled at the East Nusa Tenggara Police detective office for around six hours from 9 a.m. local time.

Police investigators asked the councillor some 28 questions regarding his recent statement in the media, which accused Jacky of being involved in the bank scam.

Arief's lawyer M.K. Lamabelawa, speaking on the sidelines of the interrogation, denied the defamation charges against his client.

"My client never mentioned the name of Brig. Gen. Jacky Uly in the media statement. He only mentioned a former NTT Police chief, without providing a name," Lamabelawa said.

He said the suspect had nevertheless attempted to clarify his statement through local media, but added that the clarification had not been published.

Arief had recently been found guilty of defaming East Flores Regent Felix Fernandez by the Kupang District Court. The court sentenced him to four months in prison suspended for one year.

However, the outspoken councillor remains free pending his appeal.

The court said Arief was proven to have insulted the regent for his statement carried by local media that Felix was seeking to enrich himself while in power.