Police defend probe in alleged corruption acts

JAKARTA (JP): The police has the legal right to investigate the alleged acts of corruption committed by three former directors at the central Bank Indonesia, according to a senior city police officer.

The comment was made Wednesday by Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang in response to Tuesday's remarks by Attorney General Singgih, who said the police had no right to probe corruption.

"The police have every right to investigate any kind of crime, including corruption," Aritonang said.

"And, our rights to investigate are authorized by the law."

He said the police's current investigation into alleged acts of corruption committed by Hendrobudiyanto, Paul Soetopo Tjokronegoro and Heru Soepraptomo had nothing to do with pride.

"It doesn't mean that we're arrogant just because we're doing it," Aritonang said.

Singgih told journalists during his year-end media conference on Tuesday that all corruption investigations, including the one into the three former BI directors, should be left to his office.

He said the National Police had earlier cosigned an agreement on the matter with the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Office.

Aritonang said that the police's authority as investigators to probe any crime was stipulated by Articles Six and 284 of the Criminal Code Procedures.

"The articles state that the police is one of the authorized investigators in probing any crime, " he said.

"The authority of police as investigators is also supported by the 1997 Police Law Number 28," he said.

He accepted that prosecutors also had the same rights and authorities as investigators to probe all crimes.

Aritonang's remarks were supported by criminologist Adrianus Meliala and law expert Loebby Loqman.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post yesterday, Meliala said both parties could jointly investigate the case of the former BI directors as they were both authorized by the existing laws.

"But apparently, each party prefers to hide behind the law to justify their acts rather than accept each other's rights and try to cooperate," said the University of Indonesia lecturer.

"I think the police are trying to warn the prosecutors to accept the reality that they (the prosecutors) are not the only party who can investigate crimes," he said.

Sharing Meliala's opinion, Loebby, of the same university, called on the police and prosecutors to cooperate better in doing their jobs as law enforcers.

Loebby said that it would be better for the police to inform the Prosecutors' Office about the case through the official notification on the investigation.

"It's understandable if the notification had not been sent to the Prosecutors' Office because the police is not sure yet whether or not the three former directors committed corruption," he said.

"But it would be better if the police sent it immediately. They should work together in the case. If the investigation cannot not prove anything, just call it off," Loebby said. (cst)