Law enforcers on trial for extortion
JAKARTA (JP): Four law enforcement officials and a military officer face trial at South Jakarta District Court for allegedly taking the law into their own hands instead of solving problems through legal channels.
Judge Doris A.A. Taulo told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the court will try a senior prosecutor, two police officers, a lawyer and the military man for allegedly squeezing businessman Ronnie Kiagoes in March 1989.
"It was a kind of debt collection activity," Taulo said, adding that the trial will begin on Oct. 31 after having been frozen for more than five years.
Prosecutor Harun M. Husain alleged in his written indictment that the five suspects tried to extort the victim into handing over 50 percent of a company's shares, two luxurious sedans and Rp 20 million (US$9,500) in cash as well as seven plots of land in Pondok Ranji and a building in the posh Pondok Indah area, both in South Jakarta. The value of the loot has not been disclosed.
The indictment said that the five suspects, identified as Capt. RHS and his wife RS who is also a prosecutor, Lt. Col. AA, Col. MA, and lawyer AH, had worked together to force the businessman to pay his debts.
Ronnie has earlier borrowed some capital from Mrs. RS but failed to return it on time, prompting the prosecutor of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office to take the law into her own hands.
Under the Indonesian Criminal Code, an extortionist faces a maximum of five years in jail. The suspects, if found guilty, will likely be laid off from their jobs.
Attorney General Singgih said at the House of Representatives (DPR) earlier this month he cannot tolerate such an action, adding that he had already taken disciplinary measures against Mrs. RS.
As if criticizing the trend to uphold instant justice here, in which the public prefers to dispense with legal channels, Singgih said that law enforcement officials should respect the law.
Taulo said yesterday that a panel of judges is studying the case thoroughly, adding that the South Jakarta District Court had also asked the Jakarta Military Tribunal to arrange a military judge whose rank is equivalent to or higher than a colonel to try the suspects.
"As one of the suspects is a colonel, we should recruit a colonel too," Taulo said.
It had initially been arranged that Taulo himself, with the assistance of judge T. Sihite and military judge Lt. Col. Syarif Ali, would preside over the trial. (09)