Drivers get cash over Suwondo's arrest

BANDUNG, West Java (JP): Two public minivan drivers received Rp 1 million (US$112) each from Sr. Supt. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo, a former senior Jakarta Police detective on Friday for their role in the recent arrest of Suwondo, a suspect in the multibillion rupiah Bulog scandal.

"I had promised to give Rp 2 million from my own private account to any parties who help us trace the whereabouts of Suwondo," Alex who is now heading the Greater Bandung police, told reporters after the Friday's rewards presentation.

According to Alex, Dadang is a resident of Tugu village in Cisarua district, Bogor, while Ujang is from Rawasari, Cempaka Putih in Central Jakarta.

Both work as minivan drivers plying the Cianjur-Bogor route. They were fetched by Alex's officers from their respective homes to receive the reward.

Ujang told reporters the story started earlier this month when a man came to him to ask for his favor to help find a villa in the Bogor area for his boss.

Ujang said he then contacted his friend Dadang who suggested a vacant villa named "Menado" which was located near Suwondo's villa.

"When I was at "Menado", I saw a man and I suspected he was Suwondo, the person implicated in the Bulog scandal," Dadang said, adding that he was quite familiar with Suwondo's face as they were shown in the print and TV media.

Ujang and he then decided to report their suspicions to the police and "get the reward," Dadang said.

On Oct. 8, they reported their suspicions to one of Alex's staff, Greater Bandung criminal investigator chief Ass. Supt. Tito who gave him a copy of the police announcement bearing Suwondo's picture.

The next day, Ujang returned to Bogor to meet with Dadang and to ascertain if the man they saw matches the picture in the police announcement.

"Dadang and I asked a security guard at the villa about the man and the guard confirmed that he was Suwondo," Ujang said.

The two drivers then informed officer Tito where Suwondo is staying.

As reported earlier, a team of Jakarta Police detectives arrested Suwondo, last Saturday, at one of his villas in Cisarua, a popular place for Jakartans to spend their weekends.

Both Alex, who has just been promoted to National Police director for general crimes, and the drivers did not explain why the report on the discovery was made in Bandung.

After receiving the cash from Alex, the two -- with tears in their eyes -- could not contain their happiness. They said they would use the money to help finance the education of their children and to cover their family's daily needs.

Dadang said they earned Rp 20,000 daily at the most by working as public transportation drivers.

Suwondo himself is still under the Jakarta Police's detention, charged as a suspect in the Rp 35 billion Bulog (State Logistics Agency)'s employee foundation (Yanatera) disbursement scam. In a trial hearing, Bulog deputy chief, Sapuan, another suspect, said that Suwondo, a masseur of President Abdurrahman Wahid, asked for the funds on behalf of the President. (25/lup)