Policeman helps in jailbreak
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
A Jakarta Police officer has been detained at the headquarters since Wednesday for allegedly helping a man under the custody of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office to escape Cipinang Prison, East Jakarta, earlier in the day.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani confirmed on Thursday that the detained officer will be investigated by internal affairs.
"If it is proven that he violated the Criminal Code, we will prosecute him as a civilian," he remarked.
The police were still pursuing the defendant, identified as Farhat Ferdian Baihaki, 26.
Farhat was awaiting trial under charges of violating Article 263 of Criminal Code on forgery for allegedly forging a National Police identity card as well as the Emergency Law for possessing bullets without a license.
The escape took place on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., during visiting hours at Cipinang Prison.
Sporting civilian clothes, Chief Brig. Piping Firdaus, 25, came to the prison to meet Farhat.
He left his identity card, a revolver and a mobile phone at the prison's check gate. The prison guards gave him guest pass number 451 and a receipt of the things he had deposited at the desk.
Farhat then took Piping's guest pass and receipt and walked out the prison without raising any suspicions, because, as a detainee, he was not wearing a prison uniform.
When he got outside the building, Farhat left the receipt with Syaiful, a prison guard, and told him to give it to Piping who was still in the waiting room.
Syaiful told the matter to other officers who became suspicious of the odd circumstances in which the receipt got outside the building.
The officers approached Piping in the waiting room and asked him about the whereabouts of the receipt and his guest pass.
Because Piping could not explain why he was not in possession of the pass and receipt and meanwhile prison guards found out that Farhat was gone, they contacted the police who later arrested Piping.
Firman Gani said he had no information about the motive behind Piping's action.
"Most likely he did it for money," Firman said.