Police should follow up on Rusdihardjo's testimony

JAKARTA (JP): Legal observers said on Saturday former National Police chief Rusdihardjo's testimony before a special committee of the House of Representatives could not be used as evidence in court, but should be investigated by the police.

"The police must investigate the truth of Rusdihardjo's testimony before the House's special committee," Satjipto Rahardjo, a law professor at Semarang's Diponegoro University, told The Jakarta Post by phone.

However, he said the testimony given to the committee was not admissible as evidence in court, and Rusdihardjo would have to be questioned by police to build a criminal case.

"If all of Rusdihardjo's statements indicate a crime occurred in the Bulog scandal, the police must question Rusdihardjo and prepare a dossier, which will be handed over to the prosecutor's office," Satjipto, who is also a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, said.

He said if Rusdihardjo's testimony was later proven to be false, none of his statements could be admitted as evidence because the police must work according to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Code Procedures.

"If Rusdihardjo's testimony before the police does not comply with the Criminal Code, the investigation must be halted," he said.

Noted lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis said the special committee should first submit Rusdihardjo's testimony to the House.

"The House will then give its opinion about Rusdihardjo's testimony.

"The police could then just use the House's opinion as evidence, after calling on Rusdihardjo for confirmation and clarification," Todung, also an executive at the Indonesian Corruption Watch, told the Post.

He regretted that members of the special committee had leaked Rusdihardjo's testimony.

"Because of the leakage, the special committee has given the impression that it was not working to find the truth, but only to discredit President Abdurrahman Wahid," he said.

The Coordinator of the Indonesian Legal Institute and Human Rights Association, Hendardi, said Rusdihardjo's testimony could not be used as evidence in the police dossier.

He also said Rusdihardjo's status as a former National Police chief could hamper a police investigation, as the investigators might feel uneasy questioning their former boss.

Hendardi added that Rusdihardjo's testimony should not be made public, but should be handed over to the prosecutor's office.

Rusdihardjo testified before a special committee of the House on Tuesday, claiming the President was involved in the Rp 35 billion (US$3.7 million) Bulog scandal.

Sources close to the committee said Rusdihardjo testified that Siti Farikha, a Semarang-based businesswoman, received a check for Rp 5 billion from the President. The money was reportedly obtained from Bulog.

The scandal revolves around the disbursement of Rp 35 billion from Yanatera, Bulog's employee foundation, to Abdurrahman's masseur Alip Agung Suwondo, who allegedly acted on behalf of the President in obtaining the money.

The President was questioned as a witness in the case on June 23 at Merdeka Palace by a team of investigators from the Jakarta Police.

The President has repeatedly denied his involvement in the matter. (01)