Detective chief interrogated for releasing BNI suspect

Detective chief interrogated for releasing BNI suspect

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Chief of Jakarta Police Special Crimes unit Sr. Comr. Syahrul
Mamma was questioned over the weekend by National Police internal
affairs for releasing a suspect in a Rp 6 billion (US$631,570)
graft case at the bank BNI Kota branch in West Jakarta.

National police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko Ardan
said on Sunday that Syharul was questioned by internal affairs
for several hours.

"Yes, internal affairs has questioned him as to why the city
police released a suspect in a bank graft case," he told The
Jakarta Post.

Police arrested earlier an employee of state bank BNI Kota
branch in West Jakarta identified as Gita Yurnalisa, an official
of the National Land Agency (BPN) identified as GA, a businessman
identified as Masduki, and a notary public identified as Karat
Ernawati.

They were all accused of cooperating to embezzle money from
the BNI Kota branch.

Police accused them of making fake land documents to be used
as collateral to get a loan from the branch several times between
2000 to 2001.

However, Karat Ernawati, was released last week without
explanation.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman denied bribery allegations
in the release, saying that Karat was not aware that the land
documents she notarized were used for graft.

"My officers have done the right thing. We can't detain her
because she was unaware that the documents were used for criminal
activities," he said.

Firman said Karat would not flee as police continued to
monitor her.

A reliable source at city police headquarters, however, said
that Karat was released because a member of the House of
Representatives appealed to the city police chief.

"He was a close friend of Karat. He came to see the city
police chief several days before the release," he told the Post.

Meanwhile, city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said that
police were still gathering more evidence to complete suspects'
case files.

"We need more evidence to be able to complete the case files.
We will submit them to prosecutors in several days," he told the
Post.

Tjiptono said that the suspects were charged under Articles 2
and 3 of Law No. 31/1999 on corruption, Article 49 of Law No.
10/1998 on banking, and Article 55 and 56 of the Criminal Code.
They face a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.