Seriousness of the Police Will Restore Public Trust
According to Kompas, at 00.15 the ethics commission led by the National Police Intelligence and Security Agency chief, Comr. Gen Ahmad Dofiri, accompanied by the commission’s four members, left the hearing room.
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Former Head of the Propam Police Division Inspector General Ferdy Sambo (center) after undergoing a trial in the alleged violation of the code of ethics at the National Police Headquarters, Jakarta, on Friday (26/8/2022) early in the morning.
The ethics hearing against former Police Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo, with the presence of 15 witnesses, lasted until early hours on Friday. The result of the ethical and criminal trial against Ferdy is vital to maintain the credibility of the police.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The seriousness of the Indonesian National Police in resolving ethical or criminal cases related to the murder of Brig. J or Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat involving a number of police officers is vital to help the police regain public trust. This is also the first step to prove the commitment of the National Police Chief, General (Pol) Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to fix the system and culture within the National Police.
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The hearing of the Police Code of Ethics Commission against the former head of the internal affairs division of the National Police, Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo, at the Transnational Crime Center Building at the National Police Headquarters, which began on Thursday morning lasted until early hours on Friday. The closed-door hearing presented 15 witnesses.
In the ethics hearing, Ferdy was tried in connection with the premediated murder of his own aide-de-camp Brig. J at his official residence at the Police Complex, Duren Tiga in Jakarta. In addition, Ferdy is also suspected of tampering with evidence in the place where the shooting occurred.
As of 01.00 the decision based on the result of the ethics trial was still being prepared.
According to Kompas, at 00.15 the ethics commission led by the National Police Intelligence and Security Agency chief, Comr. Gen Ahmad Dofiri, accompanied by the commission’s four members, left the hearing room. At 00:45 the ethics commission returned to the hearing room. As of 01.00 the decision based on the result of the ethics trial was still being prepared.
The police observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies, Bambang Rukminto, said that the handling of the ethical or criminal cases in the murder case involving a number of police officers was very important for the National Police to restore public trust. This, he continued, would also prove the commitment of the National Police Chief, Gen. Listyo, to improve the system and cultural reform of the National Police, which was presented before the Commission III of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
"The consistency in resolving this case will show the National Police Chief's seriousness," he said.
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Screenshot of the National Police Professional Code of Ethics Commission conducting an ethics trial against Inspector General Ferdy Sambo, on Thursday (25/8/2022).
Of the 15 witnesses presented at the ethics hearing against Ferdy, three were suspects in the murder of Brig. J, namely Second Agent Richard Eliezer Pudihang Lumiu, Brig. Ricky Rizal, and Kuat Maruf who worked as a house servant for Ferdy's family. The police have also named Ferdy and his wife, Putri Candrawati, as suspects in the murder of Brig. J.
They were present for an in-depth investigation by the ethics commission regarding legal construction for the violation of the code of ethics conducted by Ferdy.
The other 12 witnesses present were, among others, Brig. Gen. (Pol) HK, Brig. Gen. (Pol) BA, Chief Commissioner AN, Chief Commissioner S, and Chief Commissioner BH. Other witnesses were Adjunct Chief Commissioner RS, Adjunct Chief Commissioner AR, Adjunct Chief Commissioner CAN, Commissioner CP and Adjunct Commissioner RS. They were present for an in-depth investigation by the ethics commission regarding legal construction for the violation of the code of ethics conducted by Ferdy.
So far, related to efforts to obstruct the investigation into Brig. J’s murder, 97 police officers have been questioned by the special inspectorate of the National Police, with 35 of them being charged of violating the code of ethics. The head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Insp. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo, said there were six police officers whose cases are being investigated by the Directorate of Cyber Crimes at the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Department. There is a possibility that the six will face an ethics hearing.
Furthermore, Dedi said that the investigation into the premeditated murder case against Brig. J was underway. According to Dedi, investigators have scheduled an examination of Putri Candrawati, Ferdy's wife, on Friday.
Decline in Public Trust
Meanwhile, the results of a national survey conducted by the Indonesian Political Indicators entitled Public Perceptions of the Sambo Case: Between Law Enforcement and Citizens' Expectations shows that the public’s trust in the National Police has fallen drastically. In September 2020, the level of trust in the National Police was 72.3 percent. This month it has fallen to 54.4 percent.
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A screenshot broadcast by the Police Public Relations shows Inspector General Ferdy Sambo undergoing an ethics trial at the National Police Headquarters TNCC Building, on Thursday (25/8/2022).
The survey, which was taken by 1,229 respondents between Aug. 11 and 17 after the National Police Chief named Ferdy as a suspect, shows that 38 percent of respondents who knew about Brig J’s murder doubted that the National Police could solve this murder case.
Nevertheless, the executive director of the Indonesian Political Indicators, Burhanuddin Muhtadi, said the seriousness of the police in resolving this case will help boost public confidence. The survey result shows that 57.3 percent of respondents who knew about this case are quite confident that the National Police will resolve the case fairly and in accordance with legal procedures.
"How serious the police are in resolving the case transparently is very decisive," said Burhanuddin.
MKD Session
In connection with the killing of Brig. J on Jul. 8, the Honorary Court of the House of Representatives (MKD) will also hold a closed-door hearing against a member of the House who informed Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) that Ferdy's wife, Putri Candrawathi, should be protected. The decision was taken after the MKD asked for clarification from the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD and the chairman of the Indonesian Police Watch, Sugeng Teguh Santoso.
Another House member contacted Sugeng without trying to influence him. However, Sugeng was reluctant to reveal any names.
During the meeting, Sugeng said that on Jul. 12, the day after the police revealed Brig. J’s death, two members of the House contacted him. One of them said that Ferdy's wife should be protected. Another House member contacted Sugeng without trying to influence him. However, Sugeng was reluctant to reveal any names.
The hearing then continued behind closed doors. After the hearing, the MKD’s chairman, Habib Aboe Bakar Al-Habsyi, said that the two House members were members of the Commission III of the House. "All are from the Commission, but in the dialogue there was nothing related to money or crime," he said.
To Mahfud, the MKD asked for clarification regarding Mahfud's statement on a talk show on Deddy Corbuzier's Youtube channel that Ferdy designed a scenario to cover up Brig. J’s murder and contacted some members of the House. In that clarification, Mahfud said, in order to facilitate the scenario, Ferdy contacted several members of the House, members of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), the National Human Rights Commission, and the editor-in-chief of a national television station.
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Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD.
However, Mahfud said, because the Police had already revealed Ferdy's scenario, there was nothing more to discuss. According to Mahfud, Ferdy contacted several members of the House as an attempt to make a precondition to ensure that they would believe in the scenario he created.
For this reason, the MKD agreed to close this issue. The reason, said Aboe Bakar, was that Mahfud did not want to reveal the names of the members of the House in question.
(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).
