Public Awaits Next Move after Dismissals

KOMPAS/HARRY SUSILO

The home of Joko Tjandra, a fugitive convicted in the Bank Bali graft case, stands near Simprug Golf Course in South Jakarta on Friday (3/7/2020). After 11 years on the run, Joko Tjandra appeared in Jakarta to file a petition for review with the South Jakarta District Court on June 8. He then disappeared again. The Attorney General\'s Office is searching for him.

Two more high-ranking National Police officers have been dismissed for their alleged involvement in helping fugitive and graft convict Joko Tjandra. Cooperation in law enforcement is needed to arrest Joko.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis has dismissed two more high-ranking police officers for their alleged involvement in helping fugitive and Bank Bali case graft convict Joko Soegiarto Tjandra. Many are hoping that the firm action is followed up with a thorough investigation on all parties that helped Joko move freely in and out of Indonesia and an arrest on Joko himself, a fugitive since 2009.

The two dismissed high-ranking police officers are Insp. Gen. Napoleon Bonaparte, who led the National Police international relations division, and Brig. Gen. Nugroho Wibowo, the secretary of the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) in Indonesia. Both were dismissed for violating the National Police code of ethics regarding the issuance of a notification letter on the erasure of red notice for Joko Tjandra.

Read also: Gen. Idham’s Swift Action

The dismissals were made official in a police telegram, No. ST/2074/VII/KEP./2020, signed by National Police assistant for human resource affairs Insp. Gen. Sutrisno Yudi. “[The dismissals] are true. Violation of code of ethics,” National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono said in Jakarta on Friday.

On 5 May 2020, there was a letter from NCB Interpol Indonesia for the Director General of Immigration regarding the erasure of an Interpol red notice for Joko Tjandra. The letter was under the name of the National Police’s international relations division and was signed by Nugroho.

Argo said that Nugroho’s action had violated the code of ethics as the letter was signed without his superior’s knowledge. “There is an error there that violates administrative procedure. That is a violation of code of ethics,” Argo said.

KOMPAS/PRAYOGI DWI SULISTYO

A travel permit given to Joko Tjandra, a fugitive convicted in the Bank Bali graft case, is obtained by the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), Monday (13/7/2020). MAKI Coordinator Boyamin Saiman believed that the travel permit was given by an agency of one of the law enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, Argo said that Napoleon was dismissed from his position as he could not control or monitor his subordinate. “As a commander, he has been neglectful in monitoring his subordinate,” he said.

Travel permit

Previously, the National Police chief had dismissed Brig. Gen. Prasetijo Utomo from his position as the head of the civil servant investigators’ coordination and oversight bureau of the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) for issuing a travel permit for Joko (Kompas, 16/7/2020).

Argo said that Bareskrim would launch an investigation to see if there was an alleged flow of money from Joko to Prasetijo. “The Bareskrim team will investigate it,” he said.

Also read: Joko Feels Comfortable in Malaysia

The travel permit for Joko is for going from Jakarta to Pontianak in West Kalimantan on 19 June. Previously, Joko fled from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea after he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in 2009. On 8 June 2020, he returned to Indonesia, processed his electronic ID and filed a case review on the South Jakarta district court.

Waiting

Trisakti University criminal law observer Abdul Fickar Hadjar said that he appreciated the police chief’s swift move and commitment in cleansing his institution. This is especially because the officer who violated regulations is a high-ranking one.

Joko’s at-large status must end and cooperation between law enforcement agencies is needed to achieve this.

Fickar said that those who were involved should be processed legally. He also encouraged the National Police to hunt officers who enabled Joko’s escape from the law. Joko’s at-large status must end and cooperation between law enforcement agencies is needed to achieve this.

“Joko must be arrested so we can reveal all who are involved. Otherwise, legal mafia will continue to reign,” he said.

So far, Joko is alleged to have been in Malaysia. Joko’s lawyer Anita Kolopaking has said this much. Joko is also known to have established businesses in the neighboring country.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is still investigating the alleged link between Joko and the South Jakarta prosecutor’s office chief, Nanang Supriatna.

AGO spokesperson Hari Setiyono said that questioning or clarification on Nanang had been completed. However, the investigation is still ongoing and there is no result yet as no clarification can yet be made on the other parties in the recording.

Several days ago, a recording allegedly of Nanang and lawyer Anita Kolopaking spread on social media. A thread of statements to which the recording was attached said that Nanang and Anita were talking about Joko.

The Jakarta prosecutor’s office will summon parties allegedly linked to the issue on Monday.

However, Hari said that it was difficult to ascertain this as the recording had no sound and it did not show the complete picture. The Jakarta prosecutor’s office will summon parties allegedly linked to the issue on Monday.

Regarding the distribution of a letter from the AGO to the National Police international relations division head on the confirmation that the Interpol red notice on Joko still stands, Hari refused to comment. The letter dated 21 April 2020 was labeled “secret and immediate”. “The letter is labeled secret. We will not respond,” he said.

KOMPAS/PRAYOGI DWI SULISTYO

Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) Boyamin Saiman reported to the Indonesian Ombudsman about the existence of a travel document given to Joko Tjandra, a fugitive convicted in the Bank Bali graft case, on Monday (13/7/2020).

University of Indonesia international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana said that, if the AGO was serious about arresting Joko, it must contact the Law and Human Rights Ministry, which will then coordinate with the Malaysian authorities. “It’s really about whether or not there is an effort from our law enforcement,” he said.

Furthermore, Hikmahanto said, the Indonesian authorities must also have an accurate location on Joko’s whereabouts. (NAD/BOW)