Police leaves reporters in dark over big arrest
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
A short messaging system (SMS) was received by many crime news reporters on the night of Aug. 10. It said Tanri Abeng's son, Emil, had been arrested in a room at the Grand Mahakam Hotel by Kebayoran Baru Police for the possession of three grams of shabu- shabu (crystal methamphetamine).
The SMS spread like wildfire from cell phone to cell phone, causing a flurry of phone calls from reporters trying to confirm the information.
Some contacted Kebayoran Baru Police chief Comr. Rudy Antariksawan, but he denied the news. Others tried to contact their sources at South Jakarta Police precinct, but to no avail.
Later, some newspapers decided to run the story based on information from their sources, who were willing to leak information. Others bowed out due to slim evidence and no official statement.
The SMS would not have been newsworthy had it not included the name of businessman Tanri Abeng, who is a former state minister of state enterprises.
After days of denial, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani finally confirmed the arrest on Friday.
"Yes, we arrested a drug suspect identified as Emil Abeng, 34. We are not releasing him," he said. "I did not confirm the information in question earlier because you asked if the police arrested the son of Tanri Abeng. I didn't know. I don't care whose son he is."
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said, "the evidence is only 0.058 gram of shabu-shabu, not three grams as you asked."
Police sources said the arrest took place on July 2 during a raid on the hotel room where Emil and his friends were found in possession of three grams of shabu-shabu and an inhaler. Narcotics detectives detained the suspects at Kebayoran Baru Police precinct.
On July 16, the dossiers of all suspects, except Emil's, were completed and sent to the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office.
However, the sources said, Emil's case had been closed.
Tanri himself confirmed the arrest on Friday night
"I just received the news from Emil's wife today (Friday)," he was quoted as saying by www.tempointeraktif.com.
He said he was very disappointed in his son. He added that his son's case should be legally processed, which would teach him a lesson. "But please, don't exaggerate the matter."
The police have often been accused of withholding information on cases concerning well-known or influential people .
An antidrugs activist with the People's Movement for Antidrugs (Geram), Sofyan Ali, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that freedom-buying practices still existed in drug cases.
"With police reform, the city police have been more open to third party scrutiny of their investigations. But, there are still some unscrupulous officers, who receive bribes to release drug suspects," he said.
He added that some detectives had allegedly caught drug suspects red-handed, but released them after receiving money.
The latest big case involved two officers from the National Police crime division, who had been arrested in May following a report that they extorted Rp 100 million (US$10,870) from a suspected drug dealer. However, little information about the case has been released.