Law enforcers on trial for extortion

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)