Police chief sacked over assault incident

Eva C. Komandjaja and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor

Bogor Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito, who has been accused of assaulting his subordinate, is to be removed from his post and transferred to National Police Headquarters pending a disciplinary hearing.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo said that Bambang would be moved in one or two days, while his deputy would take over the post.

"His deputy will temporarily take over the post, later the National Police chief will decide who replaces Bambang," Aryanto said in a phone call from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

However, Aryanto did not explain what kind of position Bambang would be given after his transfer.

Apart from facing a disciplinary hearing, Bambang and his driver Second Brig. Darmawan Damanik, will also be tried in a public court for violating Article 351 of the Criminal Code.

Both have been accused of attacking the security unit head of North Bogor Police sub-precinct Adj. First. Insp. Wawan Setiawan and his subordinate chief. Brig. Santoso Kartono.

The attack allegedly took place after Bambang received the news that his son Tri Rianto Andika Putra, 15, a first year senior high school student in Bogor, had been attacked by unidentified persons.

Wawan, who is now being treated at Azra Hospital in Bogor, fell unconscious soon after the assault.

Separately, deputy spokesman for the National Police Brig. Gen. Soenarko said that investigators from the internal affairs division had questioned a total of six witnesses including Santoso and Wawan, North Bogor Police chief Adj. Comr. Nundun Ramadiana, and three of his subordinates.

"We questioned Bambang yesterday and we found that he took part in the assault. The report from the hospital said that both victims were injured," Soenarko said.

"The disciplinary hearing will be conducted by the West Java Police chief, but I don't know when it will be held, so I guess we should wait for instructions from the National Police chief," Soenarko said.

Meanwhile, Wawan told reporters that he was not assaulted by Bambang as media reports have said, but his driver.

"The media reported that it was the Bogor Police chief who assaulted me. That is not true. It was Damanik, his driver," Wawan said.

Wawan said when he had arrived to report on his case at the Central Bogor Police sub-precinct -- where the assault took place -- Bambang had become upset and his driver Danamik had assaulted him.

He said he was not defending his superior out of fear but was reporting the facts.

Wawan has regained consciousness and is now able to sit up in bed.