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Officers deny framing Antasari, but doubts arise
Under oath: The Jakarta Police vice unit chief Comr
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span class="inline inline-center">Under oath: The Jakarta Police vice unit chief Comr. Zarius Saragih hesitates before answering a question during murder defendant Antasari Azhar’s trial at the South Jakarta District Court on Thursday. Zarius denied receiving orders from top National Police officials to frame Antasari. JP/Wendra Ajistyatama
Investigators testifying in the murder trial of former antigraft leader Antasari Azhar denied coercing witness Sr. Comr. Wiliardi Wizard into compiling a fraudulent case file to incriminate the defendant.
However, several inconsistencies have surfaced in the trial held in the South Jakarta District Court on Thursday that may indicate otherwise.
The three investigators who testified — Comr. Zarius Saragih, Comr. Arief Setiawan and Comr. Tahan Marpaung — said Wiliardi was under no duress to produce any false statements regarding the case.
“During Wiliardi’s interrogation, I remained courteous to him because he was still my superior,” Arief said, adding he did not receive orders to construct a scenario that would incriminate Antasari.
The public was taken aback last week when Wiliardi announced in a court hearing that he had been coerced by high-ranking police officers to play a role in an alleged plot to frame Antasari for the murder of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, the director of pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran, who was killed in a drive-by shooting.
In the dock alongside Antasari are Wiliardi, the former South Jakarta Police chief who allegedly contracted the hit men, and Sigid Haryo Wibisono, the media mogul who allegedly paid them.
The three men are being tried separately and on different charges in the case.
Wiliardi’s trial was postponed because the witnesses failed to appear, but testimony from the other two trials revealed inconsistencies both in favor of and against the former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief.
During Antasari’s trial, Wiliardi stated that police depictions of key events that took place in Sigid’s house on Jl. Pati Unus, South Jakarta, were inaccurate.
The case file stated Antasari had handed Wiliardi an envelope containing Nasruddin’s photograph.
“Sigid, not Antasari, handed [the envelope] to me,” Wiliardi said.
Defense lawyers said the case files were missing a key photograph.
During Sigid’s trial, former South Jakarta Police chief Chaerul Anwar revealed that he had been offered a post in the KPK by Antasari.
“[Antasari] said to me, ‘If you are done being a police chief, you can work in the KPK,’” Chaerul was quoted as saying by news portal kompas.com.
The offer was made in Sigid’s house, Chaerul added.
Prosecutors said the alleged offer added a new aspect to the case. However, they are yet to comment on whether it was relevant to the case. (dis)
