Only 180 of 236 suspected gamblers to be tried in court
Only 180 of 236 suspected gamblers to be tried in court
JAKARTA (JP): Police have released 56 of the 236 suspected
gamblers rounded up during a recent raid at a gambling den in
North Jakarta, saying that the persons were not playing when the
raid took place.
Five others, including a pregnant woman, have been under "city
arrest" due to their unhealthy condition as stated by police
medical personnel.
"The decision was made today following the completion of the
intensive questioning of all the suspects," City Police spokesman
Lt. Col. A. Latief Rabar told reporters here Saturday.
The remaining 175 suspects are still in police custody, Latief
said.
"All of the 175 along with the five sick ones will be sent to
court as soon as possible," Latief added.
The 180 people to be arraigned in court consisted of 21 people
who are believed to have been operators and employees of the
gambling den, and 159 suspected gamblers, he said.
Among the 21 are Taslim Biyanti, believed to have acted as
operator and the "lord" of the gambling den, Kuan Wan, owner,
Johan, general supervisor, Safrial, cashier, Willy, cash supplier
for the gamblers, and 19 employees of the illegal establishment,
Latief said.
The spokesman, however, could not clarify the position of the
six foreigners who were also arrested in the raid in the wee
hours of June 11.
"I haven't received any further information about the
foreigners' position on this case," he said.
The raid was carried out by a 40-member Operation Cleansing
team from the Jakarta Chapter for the Agency of the Support for
National Stability at the aptly-named Lucky Plaza building on Jl.
Pluit Indah Jaya.
Soon after the raid, the military office announced that the
total of people nabbed was 238, including five Malaysians, a Hong
Kong national and a Taiwanese. The remaining 231 suspects are all
Indonesians, mostly of Chinese descent.
The team also seized Rp 44.9 million (US$20,880) in cash and
dozens of gambling game sets at the scene.
Following non-stop questioning, the team handed over the
suspects to City Police Headquarters for further investigation.
Discrepancy
The police, however, claimed that the number of suspects
brought to headquarters was 235 people, and not 238.
On Saturday, Latief reviewed the data and said that the number
of suspects was 236, including 44 women.
"The military mentioned it on the paper that the number of
suspects was 234. However, when we counted them again, we found
that there were 236, including a former newspaper reporter and a
lawyer," he said.
Previously, a police source said that two reporters and two
lawyers had been rounded up during the raid.
When asked to comment on the discrepancy, Latief said: "I just
tell you the things that I know precisely."
Among the 56 released on Saturday were the ex-journalist and
the lawyer.
"The 54 people and the two guys were believed to have only
watched the others playing, without taking part in the gambling
games," Latief said.
"So, the police only clarified that all of the 56 people will
be court witnesses."
However, all of them are required for the time being to report
to City Police Headquarters once a week to assure the police that
they are still around, Latief said.
The five suspects being treated outside have been identified
as Jan Bun Muk, who suffered a stroke, Swanto Wijaya, who has a
serious hernia problem, Mrs. On Bung Sang, the pregnant one, Ali
Hamsah, suffering from diabetes, and Imah, who has a heart
ailment. (bsr)