Interpol cops grilled over convict's escape

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three Interpol officers are under investigation over the disappearance of Sudjiono Timan, who was convicted in a Rp 2 trillion graft case.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said here on Monday the three officers -- identified only as Adj. Sr. Comr. S.A, Adj. Sr. Comr. B.A.A and Adj. Comr. A.K. -- sent a letter demanding the head of the South Jakarta Immigration Office issue a new passport for the fugitive Sudjiono.

"We found out about this last Friday and we started investigating the officers on Sunday, but we still do not know from what Interpol division they come from," Paiman said.

The passport, allegedly issued last May at the request of the three officer, was confiscated by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights last Friday.

The passport contained visas for the United States, the United Kingdom and several countries in Europe.

Paiman said the three officers were being investigated by the National Police's Internal Affairs Division.

Sudjiono, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail for his role in a Rp 2 trillion (US$222.2 million) graft case, disappeared when prosecutors attempted to arrest him at his house on Dec. 7.

The former director of PT Bahana Pembinaan Usaha Indonesia was found guilty by the Supreme Court on Dec. 3 and ordered to serve a 15-year jail sentence and pay a Rp 50 million fine, in addition to returning Rp 369 billion to the state.

Since disappearing over a year ago there has been no sign of the fugitive, and some observers believe Sudjiono may have sneaked out of the country.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin earlier accused the police of helping Sudjiono escape.

Paiman declined to comment on this accusation on Monday, saying the police were waiting for the results of the investigation.

"We are investigating these officers but we have not yet received any reports from internal affairs.

"Therefore, we still have not found out the exact reason why these officers recommended the immigration office issue a passport for Sudjiono while he was still on our fugitive list.

"We suspect that Sudjiono asked these officers for help because they were his friends and because one of them was a family relation, but we don't yet know which one," Paiman said.