Fugitive Gunawan teaches us some valuable lessons

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 07/28/2007 12:04 PM  |  Opinion

Soeryo Winoto, Jakarta

Fugitive Gunawan Santosa is just an ordinary criminal. He just had enough money to build a conspiracy to kill his former father-in-law, Boedyharto Angsono, who was also the big boss of PT Asaba, in 2003. The motive of the murder was his anger after being accused of stealing the company's money and his parting from his wife at the request of Boedyharto. The story began with a family row.

The murder made the headlines because Gunawan paid marine soldiers to execute his former father-in-law and, unexpectedly, Boedyharto's bodyguard, who was a member of the Army's elite force Kopassus.

The very shocking reality of the story is the fact that he escaped three times until his arrest last week. This should come as a slap in the face of the police as well as the ministry of justice and human rights, which supervises prisons and penitentiaries.

Gunawan's adventure has left several questions unanswered.

The marines hired by Gunawan to kill Boedyharto and his bodyguard were solid evidence of moonlighting involving Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers. The TNI code of ethics bans soldiers from seeking side-jobs, but it is an open secret that the practice remains commonplace.

Gunawan's first attempt to flee Cipinang prison in March 2004 might have involved his mother, who managed to smuggle a gun into his cell. How could a visitor go through an inspection while carrying a weapon? How could Gunawan keep the gun unnoticed until he attacked prison guards and jumped out of a van that would carry him to court? It was fortunate that the gun exploded unintentionally and hurt Gunawan, ending his effort to escape. But why has the mother been left unpunished?

With help from a prison guard, Gunawan fled Cipinang penitentiary for the third time in May 2006. The question is how the Justice Ministry oversaw the prison that a guard could easily falsify the prison's gate keys and give them to an inmate to escape?

Still fresh in our mind that back in 1996 a banker, Eddi Tansil, who was serving his jail term for fraud, escaped Cipinang prison with the help of a guard. Law enforcers have never managed to recapture him until today.

Both Eddi and Gunawan have probably proven the power of money. Prison guards let them go for a sum of money.

Poor control of citizens registration in the country has deteriorated the situation. Corrupt public officials allow some citizens to hold two or more ID cards, which also benefits criminals or terrorists to conceal their true identities.

Worse, the immigration office, which is supposed to serve as the last goalkeeper to control migration of people, has yet to strictly do its job. Taking examples, Tansil is believed to have fled abroad soon after his escape beyond the knowledge of the immigration officers, while Gunawan's latest arrest was made because of a public report, instead of the work of immigration officials who failed to notice his attempt to leave for Singapore using fake documents.

There are many improvements needed to give criminals and fugitives no room to wander.

The ministry of justice and human rights has no other choice but to tighten control on Cipinang prison, known for its corrupt guards. The increase in drug abuse cases inside the penitentiary gives another reason for sweeping reforms in the country's prison management.

The bottom line is all institutions involved in law enforcement, ID card issuance and immigration affairs are vulnerable to bribery.

Gunawan is now back at Cipinang prison. His execution is pending a review of his case and the presidential clemency if he begs for it. The possibility is there for him to make another attempt to escape, although the chief warden has promised tighter control.

A good system will not work in the hands of dishonest or corrupt people.

The writer is a journalist based in Jakarta. He can be contacted at soeryo_winoto@yahoo.com.

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