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Conflicting statements, hazy stories
Over the past few days, contradictions and holes have appeared in the statements of officers from the National Police regarding the alleged theft of documents from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) headquarters, fueling the suspicion that more than one man was involved
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ver the past few days, contradictions and holes have appeared in the statements of officers from the National Police regarding the alleged theft of documents from the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) headquarters, fueling the suspicion that more than one man was involved.
BNN officials claimed that Comr. Albert Dedi, a middle-ranking officer from the National Police's Crime Division, stole two documents from BNN operations deputy Insp. Gen. Benny Mamoto's office in Jakarta last Thursday.
Rumors abound that the theft was in response to the agency's efforts to unearth drug syndicates that may implicate some top cops.
National Police officials were quick to deny the allegation ' by issuing contradictory statements.
National Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Hilman Thayib said on Monday that Albert took personal files related to claiming his salary from his tenure at the BNN back in 2011.
A day later, National Police public affairs division chief Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie stated that Albert (AD) had not taken any documents.
'AD testified that he did not take any documents ['¦] Instead, he brought some personal documents to be shown to a BNN official in order to claim his salary,' Ronny told a press conference in Jakarta.
Albert claimed that the narcotics agency had failed to pay his salary between August 2012 and January 2013. However, the BNN said Albert had been fired at the end of 2011 because he had lent the agency's badge to Andre Syamsul Malik ' a drug dealer ' to protect the latter's illicit business.
Since February this year, Albert has served as a detective with the National Police's economic crime division.
Ronny said that the economic crime division had assigned a team to cross-check their findings on
Albert's case with BNN officials.
'AD's claim will be compared with CCTV footage [from the BNN headquarters] and witness statements from staff,' he added.
This incident has stirred up many suspicions about the motivation behind the deed.
Some say the stolen documents were related to the police's investigation into power abuses by BNN operations deputy Insp. Gen. Benny Mamoto.
A businesswoman identified as Helena, owner of currency exchange firm PT SMC, filed a report accusing Benny of wrongfully blocking her company's bank accounts over the suspicion they were used to pool illicit funds.
Albert was part of the BNN team investigating a drug case Helena was implicated in and reportedly got close to Helena during this time.
Some speculate that the document theft is part of a power struggle between BNN chairman Comr. Gen. Anang Iskandar and the police Crime Division chief Comr. Gen. Sutarman, who are both vying to replace retiring Gen. Timur Pradopo to become the National Police chief.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is set to appoint the new police chief in August.
Police spokespersons have denied the accusations.
Controversies surrounding the case have prompted the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) to summon Albert.
'We are still coordinating with the police's crime division. If possible, we want to question him on Wednesday,' Kompolnas commissioner Edi Saputra Hasibuan said.
Edi said Kompolnas commissioners would ask Albert about the documents and his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
