Nat'l Police hesitant about prosecuting errant chief

Nat'l Police hesitant about prosecuting errant chief

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Police has admitted that it has found strong
indications that West Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang
Wasgito, who was accused of blackmailing traders of traditional
Chinese medicine, had abused his power.

However, the police appeared reluctant to proceed with the
investigation and charge Bambang with blackmailing traders in
Glodok, West Jakarta.

National Police chief of internal affairs Insp. Gen. Timbul
Silaen claimed he was preparing to submit the Bambang case to the
National Police's detectives office.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Timbus said Bambang had
been questioned by internal affairs over his alleged abuse of
power.

However, National Police detectives chief Comr. Gen. Erwin
Mapasseng said on Friday that there was no evidence as of yet to
name Bambang as a suspect in the extortion case.

"We have yet received the dossier (on Bambang). But, of course
we will follow it up if there is already sufficient evidence in
the case," he said.

"Please, just wait, as the National Police Internal Affairs is
still investigating the case."

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara pledged to
take firm action against Bambang, once everything had been
cleared by National Police Headquarters.

"We will take action, including dismissal," he said.

Bambang made headlines in newspapers recently for his
involvement in the extortion of dozens of traders of traditional
Chinese medicine in Glodok.

Timbul said that during the investigation, Bambang denied the
allegations, although witnesses confirmed the officer's
involvement.

Johnson, one of the witnesses, told police investigators that
he served as a middleman to bring a plastic bag full of money to
Bambang's deputy, Adj. Sr. Comr. Tejo Subagyo.

Tejo denied that he had received any money from Johnson.

Bambang was further pushed into corner when House of
Representatives legislator Haryanto Taslam submitted to National
Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar a bundle of receipt copies, which
showed that millions of rupiah had been transferred to the bank
accounts of Bambang and his subordinates from the heads of
gambling and other entertainment dens.

The copies, handed over to Da'i on June 11, 2003, included
Bank Central Asia ATM receipts.

The receipts, dated between October and December 2002, showed
that between Rp 500,000 and Rp 69 million were siphoned off for
several purposes, including buying cellular phones, car phones, a
TV set and car windows.

"We take the report made by the House member very seriously,
and we are continuing the investigation. But we find it difficult
to gather evidence, as many witnesses have refused to speak,"
Timbul said.

Earlier, Police Watch (Polwatch) blasted the police's slow
process in handling the Bambang case and that this simply showed
that the police were reluctant to take action against their
unscrupulous members.

"According to existing laws and regulations, Bambang must quit
his post as the West Jakarta police chief to be investigated,"
said Polwatch chairman Rashid H. Lubis.

He was referring to Law No. 2/2002 on police and Government
Regulation No. 3/2003 on the implementation of technical
guidelines for prosecution of police personnel.

Polwatch reported that out of 176 police officers charged with
breaching discipline and other offenses, only 15 had been
discharged from the force.