Police find cop innocent in Cirebon bus driver shooting

Police find cop innocent in Cirebon bus driver shooting

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

The police officer who shot dead a bus driver in a dispute
that resulted in an attack on a police station in the West Java
town of Cirebon, had followed the proper procedures and thus did
nothing wrong, said the West Java police chief on Tuesday.

West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Dadang Garnida said that the
preliminary investigation into the shooting showed that the
police officer had handled the suspect according to police
procedures.

Moreover, he said, the bus driver had died from a ricocheting
bullet which hit his head, and not a direct shot to the head as
initially reported.

"The news reported that a police officer shot someone, and
this led to the attack against the police station on Sunday
morning," Dadang said.

On Sunday, a mob of about 100 bus drivers and crew attacked
the Palimanan police station upon hearing news of the death of
their colleague, 29-year old Anjani.

A bus driver for the Bhineka bus company, Anjani died after
police officer Bambang chased him for rear-ending his car.

Bambang told the police that he fired three warning shots into
the air before firing the bullet that allegedly hit Anjani.
Witnesses confirmed his statement, said Dadang.

The West Java Police chief, however, did not say where the
last shot had been aimed.

Forensics found six pieces of shrapnel from the bullet in the
right-hand side of the victim's head. They said the bullet must
have ricocheted off another object before bullet fragments hit
and killed Anjani.

Dadang said he was convinced that Bambang was not guilty,
adding that the forensic report showed Anjani was driving while
intoxicated.

"Now, imagine if he (Anjani) wasn't stopped at that time, how
many more would have become victims, considering that in his
drunken state, he rammed everything in his way," he said.

The shooting incident occurred after Dadang's car, a Daihatsu
Taft, was rear-ended by a bus driven by Anjani, who ran from the
scene of the accident. Bambang gave chase in a Suzuki Escudo and
caught up with Anjani only after he hit a parked bus and a food
stall and came to a stop.

Anjani's death prompted Dadang to suspend Bambang, pending the
completion of the investigation.

"Because he (Bambang) was right (in his actions), as a member
of the force we have to help him by rehabilitating his name. But
if a prosecutor finds new evidence showing that he might be
guilty, then he will be tried in a court of law," said Dadang.