W. Jakarta Police chief grilled for alleged extortion
W. Jakarta Police chief grilled for alleged extortion
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
West Jakarta Police Chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito has been
questioned by internal affairs at the National Police
Headquarters for the alleged blackmailing of several owners of
traditional Chinese medicine stores in the Glodok area of West
Jakarta.
"Yes, I have been questioned by the National Police
Headquarters for my dealings with traders of Chinese traditional
medicine," he told a news conference at his office.
However, Bambang denied allegations that he had accepted money
from the vendors or blackmailed them. He declined to comment
further on the case.
City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo said the
investigation followed a tipoff from residents that a senior
official at the West Jakarta Police station was reportedly
involved in extorting dealers of Chinese medicine.
Earlier in April, the West Jakarta Police arrested two dealers
of illegal traditional Chinese medicine, identified as Michael
Husada Yunawan, alias Aming, and Bong Fo On, alias Aon, who
opened stores in Tambora and Cengkareng.
Police confiscated more than 27 types of Chinese medicine from
the two suspects.
Michael and Bong were charged with breaching Law No. 23/1992
for the unauthorized selling of traditional medicine without
prior consent from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM).
Their case files have been submitted to the West Jakarta
Prosecutor's Office.
Prasetyo said his office had received a report that a Jakarta
Police chief was allegedly blackmailing the two suspects so that
they would not be detained.
"Internal Affairs of the National Police is following up the
report to check whether it was true or not," Prasetyo said.
In addition to the charge, Bambang has also been accused of
extorting dozens of other Chinese medicine dealers in Glodok.
"I've just obtained information from the media that he
(Bambang) also asked for Rp 1.3 billion (US$138,536) from those
dealers," Prasetyo said.
Media reports said on Wednesday that Bambang had sponsored the
establishment of an association of Chinese medicine dealers in
West Jakarta.
Through the association, the West Jakarta Police chief was
alleged to have ordered the collection of security money,
totaling between Rp 1 million and Rp 10 million a month from each
vendor.
Prasetyo, however, said that the case was more about police
discipline, adding that it was not yet part of legal proceedings.
Blackmailing and extortion involving security forces are
common problems in Indonesia against a backdrop of poor law
enforcement.
This recent case is merely the tip of the iceberg as members
of the Indonesian police and military are less professional and
poorly paid.
Bambang's leadership at the West Jakarta Police station has
come under sharp criticism after stray bullets from the gun of
one of his officer's killed two girls and injured a mother in the
Taman Sari area of West Jakarta last week.