Police chief calls for an end to tapping controversy

Dicky Christanto ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 07/03/2009 10:16 PM  |  National

National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri called Friday for an end to the controversy surrounding reports that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) wiretapped Chief Detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji during a graft investigation involving businessman Nasruddin Zulkarnain.

Bambang said media coverage pitting the police against the KPK could easily mislead the public.
 
“I am afraid people will conclude that the national police and the KPK are at odds, while actually we are on the same side,” Bambang told journalists Friday.
 
He said the institutions had been cooperating effectively.
 
Susno had early alleged that the KPK tapped him without his knowledge before Nasrudin was killed last March. He then asked those who bugged him to turn in the recorded information to police.
 
“The officials are actually only allowed to wiretap people implicated in graft cases. They cannot bug anyone at will. This was the first error. The second was  they failed to submit the recording to the police even though they knew Nasrudin had been murdered,” Susno said.
 
Bambang said he had ordered a thorough investigation into the wiretapping case and promised to further discuss the issue with the KPK.
 
“We will cross check the facts about the wiring activities and find out whether the decision to tap [Susno] was made upon the order of an official or not,” he said.

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