Andreas D. Arditya, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 08/09/2008 11:28 AM
Law and Human Rights Minister Andi Matalatta on Friday said the Attorney General's Office (AGO) was to blame for convicted embezzler David Nusa Wijaya's "escape" to Hong Kong last month.
"He managed to get out of the country because there was no travel ban imposed on him. That happened because the AGO did not extend the travel ban," said the minister.
David was sentenced to four-year's imprisonment for embezzling Rp 1.3 trillion in a bank loan scandal but was freed on parole in May this year.
According to a ministerial decree, a convict released on parole is not allowed to leave the country unless he obtains permission from the law ministry.
On July 9, David arrived in Hong Kong from Singapore and was immediately detained by local authorities, who then notified Indonesian representatives there.
The Hong Kong authorities and Indonesian representatives held David for two hours before releasing him, saying that David had shown them a letter saying he was free to leave the country.
Andi said an official, whom he refused to identify, had asked for a notification letter stating that David was not banned from leaving the country.
"Why did he need such a notification letter from the (directorate general of) immigration?
"But we gave him the letter anyway because we knew the official and he often came to the ministry for matters dealing with travel bans," said Andi.
However, the immigration officers and Indonesian representatives in Hong Kong escorted David back to Indonesia on July 17. David is currently being detained at East Jakarta's Cipinang Penitentiary. His parole has been suspended.
David's escape prompted Andi to discharge A. Rasjid Adjam as chief of the West Jakarta Penitentiary monitoring body, and Bambang Sumardiono as head of Salemba Prison, Central Jakarta, where David had previously been held.
"I took action against persons who made a mistake. I hope the AGO will do the same," Andi said.
The AGO will issue a list of expiration dates to ensure that bans do no expire unnoticed in the future, he said.
According to the immigration office, at least nine businessmen have been issued with travel bans in connection with state fund embezzlement cases, some of which expired years ago.
