Police probe targets politico

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post/Medan

A prominent councillor is being investigated by police for allegedly abducting the head of the South Nias General Elections Commission (KPUD), Bambang Laia. The councillor, Hadirat Manao, who is also speaker of South Nias regency council, was earlier named a suspect for his role in acts of vandalism ahead of South Nias regental election.

"After questioning witnesses, police believe that he was not only involved in the acts of anarchy, but that he also had a role in the abduction of the head of the South Nias KPUD," said spokesman of for North Sumatra Police Sr. Comr. Bambang Prihady on Thursday.

Separately, head of the North Sumatra KPUD, Irham Buana Nasution, confirmed that Hadirat was being prosecuted.

Irham earlier interviewed Bambang Laia, in which he said that he was held against his will on Monday for several hours because he was accused of omitting Hadirat from the list of candidates running in the South Nias regental election. The election was held later on Thursday.

According to Irham, the South Nias KPUD had excluded Hadirat's name because he was late in registering his candidacy, and that he had been nominated twice by the Patriotic Party. Irham said that each party could only nominate one pair of candidates.

Irhan said that due to the omission, the South Nias legislature, chaired by Hadirat Manao, had summoned Bambang Laia. However, despite twice being summoned, the South Nias KPUD head did not respond. Later, several people who claimed they were acting for Hadirat took Bambang Laia by force to see Hadirat and held him there for several hours.

Hadirat was also charged with masterminding the vandalization of the office of the Teluk Dalam district head.

Hadirat has denied all charges leveled at him.

Spokesman Bambang Prihady said that police had determined that the suspect had violated Article 33 and 335 of the criminal code and was liable to face five years imprisonment. "We will complete the dossiers soon, and immediately submit them to the North Sumatra Prosecutor's Office," said Bambang.

When asked for confirmation, Hadirat's lawyer, Waldie Unan Sawang, said that his client's detention and suspect status in the abduction and anarchy case was a conspiracy by those who wanted to stop his client from running in the election.

"I reckon my client is the victim of a conspiracy by certain people. I will prove this," said Waldie.

Meanwhile, in the second day of elections, contested by four pairs of regental and vice regental candidates in South Nias regency, the KPUD has not yet been able to determine the winning pair due to communications problems between the polling stations.