Policeman helps in jailbreak

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.