Police should follow up on Rusdihardjo's testimony

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)