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)