Police in hot water over detainee's sudden death

Police in hot water over detainee's sudden death

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators blamed the police on Wednesday for
the death of a key witness in the case of the fugitive Hutomo
"Tommy" Mandala Putra, saying it would damage the police's image
unless the case was investigated thoroughly.

Some of them even urged the relatives of Sgt.Maj. (ret)
Wiyono, the deceased witness, to sue the police.

"The law allows Wiyono's relatives to sue the Jakarta Police
for their failure to give all necessary protection, including
medical treatment, to the witness," J. Sahetapy, a legislator
from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, told reporters
here.

Wiyono, 60, died on his way from the Jakarta Police detention
center to the Kramatjati police hospital in East Jakarta on
Tuesday.

He was believed to know of Tommy's whereabouts and was also
involved in the handling of guns belonging to Tommy.

The police claimed that the victim could have died of a heart
attack.

Sahetapy, who is also a professor of law at Airlangga
University in Surabaya, East Java, said the Criminal Code
Procedures obliged the police to provide maximum protection for
all detained witnesses.

He said that he got the impression that the police had
prevented the witness from receiving medication for his heart
problem.

Separately, Hamdan Zoelva, deputy chairman of the House's
Commission II on home and legal affairs, said Wiyono's death had
much to do with the police's failure to provide him with the
medication he needed.

He said that a few days before the suspect's death, Wiyono's
wife had asked the police to allow her husband to have a medical
checkup but the police had ignored the request.

Yahya Zaini, secretary of the Golkar Party faction, questioned
Wiyono's death. He said the case had given rise to speculation as
the police had failed to properly explain it.

"Wiyono's relatives could sue the Jakarta Police if they
cannot give a satisfying explanation for his death," he said.

Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, chairman of House Commission I on
defense and foreign policy, called on the Police to carry out a
thorough investigation into Wiyono's death to avoid speculation
among the public.

"The National Commission on Human Rights should investigate
the case if the police decline to do so," he said.

According to Sahetapy, the performance of the police in
general was quite poor.

"Speaking frankly, I'm very disappointed with the police's
poor performance because they are still similar to the way they
were under the militaristic New Order regime," he said, adding
that the case must be investigated thoroughly.

He said that despite the National Police's separation from the
Indonesian Military, it would difficult to make the police
professional and independent in performing their duties.

"Most people have been apathetic towards the police mainly
because they are not professional, which is shown by their
handling of the Tommy affair, the recent arrests of a number of
middle-ranking police officers, and police chief Gen. Suroyo
Bimantoro's recent refusal to resign.

"Bimantoro must take responsibility for Wiyono's death given
that he has the gall to arrest the middle-ranking officers," he
said.

A police disciplinary committee questioned on Wednesday eight
middle-ranking officers who were considered to have breached
internal discipline. Their hearing will resume on Thursday.

Sr. Comr. Alfons Leomau and seven other officers have been
detained since July 22 for allegedly leading some 200 middle-
ranking police officers to stage a revolt against Bimantoro on
July 9.

Separately Jakarta Police spokesman Sr.Comr. Anton Bachrul
Alam said that as of Wednesday the police had questioned 15
detainees and police personnel in connection with the death of
Wiyono.

"All are still being questioned as witnesses. Death is God's
mystery, we only want to make sure that his (Wiyono's) death is
natural and not like what many are mistakenly saying," Anton
said.(rms/emf)