Ex-cop arrested over bank scam

JAKARTA: A former middle-ranking police officer has been arrested for alleged abuse of power during an investigation into last year's Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) embezzlement scam, which caused Rp 1.7 trillion (US$170 million) in state losses.

Sr. Comr. Irman Santosa, was an investigator from the fraud squad division, who handled the graft case before he was dismissed early this year.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko D. Ardanto said the arrest was made last Saturday, but he refused to reveal the charges against Irman.

Internal affairs investigators questioned 15 officers, all of whom were part of the team working on the bank scam probe, including Brig. Gen. Samuel Ismoko, after allegations surfaced that he helpd a key suspect in the case flee justice. Adrian Waworuntu fled the country last year, but was recaptured later and sentenced in March to life in prison.

Ismoko was barred from all case investigations for a year, but no criminal charges have been leveled against him. -- JP