'Interest groups have played with Novel's case'

JAKARTA. The National Police’s (Polri) inability to complete their investigation into Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan’s acid attack has triggered speculation about possible attempts of certain interest groups to interfere with the case.

Former Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Haris Azhar said it was unlikely that Polri was unable to uncover both the motive and the perpetrators of the attack. Instead, it was the police’s willingness to pursue the case that should be questioned, he added.

Haris claimed that based on information he had received, there had been a battle of interests among parties inside the Polri that had slowed down the investigation into Novel’s attack.

“We could smell some interest groups had played with Novel's case,” said the activist as quoted by kompas.com during a discussion held at Muhammadiyah’s central executive board office in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Haris said battles of interest were a common occurrence within the police institution. Moreover, he said, even Novel himself had pointed to the possible involvement of high-ranking Polri officials in his case.

“As to the battle of interest and the parties that may have been involved in Novel’s case, I think some investigators are fully aware of it. This includes the Polri chief,” said Haris, referring to Gen. Tito Karnavian.

Tito said earlier that the police were facing difficulties investigating Novel’s attack. It was easier to apprehend terrorists than Novel’s attackers because they left few traces behind, he said.