Illegal logging suspect moved to Jakarta

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A senior police officer, accused of involvement in illegal logging activities in Papua province, will face further questioning in Jakarta to prevent possible intervention by his local bosses into the investigation.

Comr. Martin Renau, who was declared a suspect in matters relating to illegal logging, was flown aboard a commercial aircraft on Wednesday morning from Papua to Jakarta, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said.

He said Martin would be interrogated by officers of the internal affairs division at Da'i's office.

"We brought him here because we want to prevent any intervention into the investigation, and so that the probe can also be carried out more intensively," Da'i said when inaugurating a new building for the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

He explained that Papua Police were already busy dealing with other cases, so it would be easier if the Martin case was handled by police investigators in Jakarta.

Martin, the Papua police chief of special crimes division, was declared a suspect on April 14, two days after an intensive investigation by a government-sponsored illegal logging task force.

A source within National Police headquarters said Martin would be investigated in Jakarta in the hope that he would cooperate in efforts to unravel the illegal logging syndicate, which allegedly involves high-ranking police and military officers as well as other state officials.

Martin's transfer to Jakarta was also aimed at ensuring his safety during the investigation, the source added.

So far, the police have only managed to arrest middle-ranking officers during the anti-illegal logging operation in Papua, including Comr. Hariyanto, Adj. Comr. Sumadi and Martin.