National Police strike back to defend Budi Gunawan

JAKARTA. A number of police officers have again failed to answer summonses from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in relation to a case of alleged corruption implicating National Police chief hopeful Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, with the force appearing to be challenging the antigraft body’s move against Budi.

The KPK has named Budi a suspect for financial misdeeds after finding that, in his capacity as head of the Career Development Bureau at the National Police headquarters from 2004 to 2006, he amassed a total of Rp 95 billion allegedly from bribery and gratuities, including bribes paid by officers in pursuit of power within the National Police.

The three witnesses scheduled for questioning on Tuesday were East Kalimantan Police head Insp. Gen Andayano, Jombang deputy police chief Comr. Sumardi and retired officer Brig. Gen. (ret) Heru Purwanto.

On Monday, only Insp. Gen (ret.) Syahtria Sitepu, one of three officials summoned that day, attended a questioning.

Syahtria, who is a former lecturer at the Police Education Institute (Lemdikpol) currently led by Budi, allegedly transferred billions of rupiah to Budi’s bank account.

National Police general crime investigations director Brig. Gen. Herry Prastowo and Sr. Comr. Ibnu Isticha, Budi’s subordinate at Lemdikpol, did not obey the KPK’s summonses.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said it was possible that the KPK would dig deeper into other graft cases connected to the National Police if enough evidence were unearthed during the investigation into Budi.

“It is too early [to look into other irregularities at the National Police]. Let our investigators first work to collect testimony from witnesses in BG’s case,” Bambang said, referring to Budi by his initials.

Bambang further said that the antigraft body could, if necessary, force the witnesses to attend questioning sessions, but that for now they would simply issue repeat summonses.

In a countermove to KPK’s prosecution of Budi, the National Police lodged a pretrial petition on Tuesday at the South Jakarta District Court against the KPK case, which they claimed to be flawed.

“According to the 2005 National Police chief regulation, any member of the police facing criminal investigation has the right to legal assistance. We will utilize any possible legal assistance to help defend [Budi] against the KPK’s investigation,” force spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny Sompie told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Commenting on the police’s move, Bambang said that the KPK was ready to fight a legal battle in court to prove that its move against Budi had been in line with existing regulations, and not politically motived, as many have asserted.

Budi is the highest-ranking active police officer ever to be named a suspect by the KPK. In 2012, Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo was charged by the antigraft body with bribery and money-laundering during his tenure as chief of the National Police’s Traffic Corps.

Djoko was suspended from his position only days after he was named a suspect, and, after his conviction, was forced to resign by an ethics tribunal. However, Ronny said there was no plan yet to set up an ethics tribunal for Budi.

Meanwhile, newly appointed detective division chief Insp. Gen. Budi Waseso, who is a close associate of Budi, hinted that someone within the police force may have helped the KPK pin down Budi Gunawan prior to his expected inauguration, which was postponed following the KPK’s move.

“Yes, there is definitely the possibility that there is a traitor in our midst. If we find him or her, then we will deal with it internally,” he said.

Waseso replaced Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, who was dismissed on Friday alongside National Police chief Gen. Sutarman. Although President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has not clarified the reasons for the dismissals, many have speculated that the pair had provided evidence to the KPK in relation to Budi’s alleged misdeeds, in an act of opposition to the latter’s nomination. (Haeril Halim, Bagus BT Saragih and Fedina S. Sundaryani)