Ghalib investigation halted due to insufficient evidence

JAKARTA (JP): The military police announced on Thursday the investigation into corruption allegations against former attorney general Andi M. Ghalib had been ended due to insufficient evidence.

Military police chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin said at a media conference here the military police had examined two bank accounts belonging to Ghalib, but found no evidence of his involvement in corruption.

"Pak Ghalib cannot be charged as a suspect because of inadequate evidence. Therefore, the investigation has been stopped until we can find new evidence," he said.

The military police opened an investigation into Ghalib following a report from the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) alleging Rp 1.8 billion (US$259,740.25) had been transferred to the accounts of Ghalib and his wife Andi Murniati.

The organization alleged there were 11 money transfers to the couple's accounts at a private bank in South Jakarta between Feb. 12 and May 6. It said copies of the transfers were mailed to the ICW office by an unidentified party.

The money was transferred by businessmen The Nin King and Prayogo Pangestu, who were being questioned by the Attorney General's Office for alleged banking violations.

Ghalib denied the allegation, saying the money transferred by the two businessmen was a donation to the Indonesian Wrestling Association, which Ghalib chairs.

The city police, which is also involved in the investigation, named both Prayogo and The Nin King as suspects in the case.

Djasrie said it was difficult for the military police to continue its investigation following ICW coordinator Teten Masduki's refusal to testify.

"The ICW's report on the alleged corruption cannot be treated as evidence because Teten declined to testify," he said.

Teten said on Thursday both the military and the government lacked the commitment to seriously carry out the investigation.

"We have long seen that the military police is not serious in investigating the alleged corruption.

"If The Nin King and Prayogo have been declared suspects, why not Ghalib," he said.

He said the ICW's information on the alleged corruption was valid and accurate, and the organization was ready to do what it could to aid the investigation.

Teten said he refused to testify for the military police because Ghalib had not been formally declared a suspect.

He said his organization was aware of a political conspiracy to freeze the investigation and turn the blame on the ICW.

"The military police asked me to sign a dossier which would have implicated me for slandering Ghalib ....

"I think the Habibie government cannot be trusted by the people to investigate the alleged corruption of the past," he said.

He said it would be futile to supply new evidence to the military police because it was not serious in investigating the case.

He also said it was not necessary to identify the party which sent the ICW the information on Ghalib's alleged corruption. He said the anticorruption law which was recently passed by the House of Representatives stipulated the identities of those offering proof of corruption should be protected.

"Of paramount importance is that the military police investigate the alleged corruption," he said.

The coordinator of ICW's lawyers, Iskandar Sonhaji, said the military leadership had not been serious in handling the case.

"Ghalib was never summoned because military chief Gen. Wiranto never asked the military police to do so," he said.

Ghalib appeared before the military police once to deny the corruption allegations.

In a related development, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar said the police investigation into The Nin King and Prajogo was still underway.

"The investigation is still ongoing. As of today, I have not received any requests that our police detectives drop the case."

"If the police investigators do not have evidence to support the allegations, we can also drop the investigation," Togar said.

Togar added, however, that if the investigation was ended it did not mean the case was closed, because the police could reopen the investigation if new evidence was discovered.

"There is no intention to close the case, but it is possible the investigation will be stopped due to lack of evidence," he said.

He also said that although the two businessmen had been named as suspects, it did not mean they had already been found guilty. (rms/emf/yudha)