Lapindo police probe ended `by case broker'

JAKARTA: The issuing of a warrant to terminate a police investigation into mining company PT Lapindo Brantas might have been the work of a case broker, an NGO alleges.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) on Thursday said judicial corruption practices have allegedly occurred during the process to issue the warrant, known as the SP3, in August 2009.

The issuing of the SP3 meant charges of environmental management violations leveled at 13 suspects implicated in the disaster were dropped.

East Java Police countered that the investigation into Lapindo Brantas, a subsidiary of Bakrie Group owned by Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie, had to be terminated because no criminal elements were found in the case.

Walhi's Pius Ginting called the police argument "weak and groundless". - JP