Graft led to Adrian's escape, experts say
Graft led to Adrian's escape, experts say
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Observers demanded on Sunday a thorough investigation into
officers allegedly involved in the escape of Adrian Waworuntu, a
key suspect in the Rp 1.7 trillion (US$185 billion) BNI scandal,
saying it could reveal widespread bribery involving the police.
Lawyer Pradjoto said it had become an open secret police
investigators would take money offered to them by a suspect in
exchange for their release from detention or charges.
"Adrian's case is just the tip of the iceberg. Many more
unpublished cases end unsettled. Remember that all suspects in
the corruption or bank scandal cases posse a huge amount of
money. They can bribe any officer to escape justice," Pradjoto
told The Jakarta Post.
He said it should be impossible for Adrian to slip through the
police's fingers the without help or cooperation of
investigators. Like all those declared a suspect Adrian was
closely monitored by the police, a policy they had to prevent him
from escaping.
Following the interrogation of seven investigators of the BNI
scam, the police admitted officers had violated regulations,
which had led to Adrian's escape.
The police are now questioning the National Police director of
the financial crimes division, Brig. Gen. Samuel Ismoko, the
chief investigator of BNI case, for allegedly receiving US$20,000
from Adrian.
Another lawyer, Frans Hendra Winarta, said Adrian's escape
highlighted a systemic failure of the police to resolve
corruption and other white collar crimes.
"People can't buy the police promises they will soon solve
corruption cases. If (the police) cannot recapture Adrian, I'm
afraid they will lose all public faith in their abilities," Frans
said.
He proposed the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)
intervene to take over all corruption cases the police were
unable to settle.
During the past year the police have had little success in
resolving other high-profile corruption and banking scandals in
the country, including the Rp 20.9 trillion misuse of Bank
Indonesia Account No. 502 and the Rp 900 billion State Logistics
Agency (Bulog) scam.
In the BNI case, which involves several BNI officials and
executives, police have managed only to bring to court seven
officials of BNI's Kebayoran Baru, while other alleged key
suspects along with Adrian and Maria Pauline Lumowa, remain free
or at large.
Maria, an Indonesian-born Dutch citizen who owned Gramarindo
Group which received the BNI money managed to flee the country
before the police unveiled the case.
In the central bank's Account No. 502 case, the police at one
time said they were investigating several high-ranking officials
from Bank Indonesia, the now-defunct Indonesian Banking
Restructuring Agency (IBRA), and individuals from private
companies, but have never declared any of them suspects.
In the Bulog case, police were forced to release all the
suspects due to their failure to submit solid evidence to the
prosecutor's office.
Graft cases subject of police investigations 2003-2004
No. Case Potential state losses Status
1. BNI Kebayoran Baru Rp 1.3 trillion *no assets have
been returned
*key suspects on
the run
2. BI Account No. 502 Rp 20.9 trillion *under police
investigation
*no suspects
declared
3. Bulog scam Rp 841 billion *all suspects
released
*case file
rejected
4. BRI-pension fund Rp 200 billion *no suspects
declared
*under police
investigation
5. BDB-Asiatic scam Rp 1.7 trillion *several suspects
named
*no detentions
6. Generators mark-up Rp 4.2 billion *one suspect
in Aceh named
*Aceh governor
Abdullah Puteh
questioned as
witness