Police detain 30 officers over various criminal cases

Police detain 30 officers over various criminal cases

JAKARTA (JP): There are currently 30 police officers, with
ranks ranging from captain to second sergeant, detained in city
police internal affair's cells, in connection with criminal cases
that include murder, blackmail, violence, robbery and car theft.

So said chief of city police internal affairs Lt. Col. Mustofa
said on Tuesday, adding that the officers's dossiers were being
prepared by the internal affairs unit, before being handed over
to the Military Police.

"Judging from the way this year has started, there will
probably be a huge increase this year in the number of police
officers being caught," Mustofa told The Jakarta Post and Kompas
daily at the city police headquarters.

"The year 2000 has just begun, and already we have 30 police
officers waiting in line."

Mustofa said that by way of comparison, dossiers of 73 police
officers were handed over to the Military Police in 1997, 45
officers in 1998, and only 49 last year.

He added though that the dossiers of some of the 30 officers
being processed this January were concerning crimes committed
from October last year.

"Still, it's an increase. Nevertheless, I urge city residents
to contact city police internal affairs if they are caught in a
jam with bad or corrupt police officers," Mustofa said.

"If an officer, for instance, has blackmailed you into paying
him for a traffic offense, contact us on our 24-hour hotline,
(021) 523-4257. Or, you could come here and lodge the complaint
personally. Secrecy will be guaranteed, and we will process the
matter."

The most recent cases include those of Police Mobile Brigade
unit (Brimob) officer First Sgt. Ajat Sudrajat, who allegedly
killed a businessman in Tangerang; a blackmail case involving
First Sgt. Muhartoyo; and car thefts connected to two Ciputat
Police officers.

Tangerang Police detectives arrested Ajat, along with two
civilians, Budi and Endang Jaya Sumitra, over the murder of
Daniel Aba, a house broker who was found dead at 9 a.m. on Sunday
on Jl. Oliander in Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex.

The suspects were pretending to buy the victim's home. It is
alleged they were trying to steal the victim's Isuzu Panther van.

Police say Endang fatally stabbed Daniel in his neck and
chest, after which Ajat dragged the corpse into the bathroom. He
then took Rp 48,000 from the victim's wallet. Police arrested
Ajat and Endang on the same day, while Budi was arrested on
Monday afternoon.

City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on
Tuesday that he had strongly recommended the National Police
headquarters to dishonorably discharge Ajat for his crime.

Mustofa said Ajat has attempted to desert four times since his
first car theft case in 1992.

"The process first went for a month, then extended to 27
months, then 15 months and then 118 days. A few weeks ago, if I'm
not mistaken, he broke free from the Brimob detention center via
the ceiling ... he killed Daniel and was immediately caught
again."

In another case, I Gusti Ketut Putra, an adjutant of National
Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, allegedly shot
dead traffic police officer, First Sgt. Fikri Zakaria, outside
the Seribu Satu restaurant in North Jakarta early this month over
a drug bust. Gusti was allegedly trying to cover up the case
while Fikri was allegedly blackmailing Gusti over it.

Fikri was accompanied by his friend First. Sgt. Muhartoyo,
who, it is alleged, were also blackmailing Gusti Ketut's friends.

Separately, South Jakarta Police detectives recently arrested
two active police officers, First Sgt. Agus Pranoto of the
Ciputat Police patrol unit and Sgt. Maj. Yudhi of Ciputat traffic
police, for among other things, allegedly being involved in the
theft of a red Suzuki van.

Meanwhile, internal affairs are still questioning three
officers from the city police detectives over the blackmailing of
a Tangerang businessman and a car theft. (ylt)