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End in sight for mighty Hercules
From prison to prison: Reputed criminal Hercules Rosario Marshal (second from left) is transferred from Jakarta Policeâs narcotics detention to West Jakarta Police on Saturday, following the laying of multiple charges against him
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From prison to prison: Reputed criminal Hercules Rosario Marshal (second from left) is transferred from Jakarta Policeâs narcotics detention to West Jakarta Police on Saturday, following the laying of multiple charges against him. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf) (second from left) is transferred from Jakarta Policeâs narcotics detention to West Jakarta Police on Saturday, following the laying of multiple charges against him. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
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span class="inline inline-none">From prison to prison: Reputed criminal Hercules Rosario Marshal (second from left) is transferred from Jakarta Police's narcotics detention to West Jakarta Police on Saturday, following the laying of multiple charges against him. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
Hercules Rozario Marhsal, 55, has been the epitome of Jakarta's seedy underbelly since the 1980s, ushered to the top by a meticulous arrangement of military elites.
In line with the diminishing clout of his backers, Hercules' attempts to regain his crown as the city's 'Godfather' faltered on Saturday as the police rearrested the native Timor Leste minutes after ending his four-month jail term.
Unlike the previous charges that saw Hercules serving light sentences, the latest prosecution is likely to end his underworld venture as he faces money laundering and extortion charges, which carry 20 years of imprisonment.
'Crimes related to thuggery always carry light sentences despite the fact that they have severely hurt the public,' said West Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Fadil Imran.
'That's why we're laying the money laundering charges against gang leaders so that the punishment will be heavier,' said Fadil, adding that the police had received reports from four individuals involving extortion of more than Rp 900 million (US$90,000) committed by Hercules in the past two years.
Money laundering charges against a gang leader is the first of its kind, as in the past they had usually only been leveled against corrupt officials, legislators, businesspeople and terrorists.
The West Jakarta Police decided to lay the charges after the West Jakarta court handed down a mere four-month jail term to Hercules after his gang clashed with the police in a commercial district in West Jakarta in March. The police were deployed in the area following reports that Hercules and his men were actively engaged in extortion
During Hercules' trial, the prosecutors claimed they could not demand harsher punishment as they could not build a case of instigating a crime, vandalism, obstruction of justice or extortion, all of which carry a maximum prison term of 18 years in total, as demanded by the police.
Hercules was only found guilty of obstructing justice.
West Jakarta Police detectives chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Hengki Haryadi said that besides Hercules, the police had identified 163 suspects in the extortion and money laundering cases dating back to 2006 .
'We're also hunting down three of Hercules' inner-circle members who are still at large. We're aiming at ending their operations for good,' he said.
Hengki, who led a team of more than 20 fully geared officers when escorting Hercules from the Jakarta Police prison to the West Jakarta Police headquarters, said that the fight against gang leaders was a 'holy war'.
Upon arriving at the West Jakarta Police headquarters, Hercules only said: 'as a responsible citizen, I will respect and abide by the law'.
Hercules' lawyer Agung Sri Purnomo said that his client did not understand the charges.
Agung claimed that some of Hercules' associates might have used his name in their activities, which the police claimed were extortion and money laundering.
Hercules made his name as the leader of Central Jakarta's underbelly, which encompasses areas such as Tanah Abang textile market, the largest in Southeast Asia, and part of Kota between the mid 1980s until 2006, when he lost control of the areas to Betawi native Haji Lulung.
Hercules followers, however, still maintain a loose grip on several small pockets in the Kota area and property compounds in West Jakarta. Hercules also engages in the coal business, and used to spend time in Kalimantan and Sumatra.
Hercules established the New Indonesian People's Movement (GRIB) in May last year and made Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra)chairman Prabowo Subianto head of its advisory board.
He forged a close relationship with Prabowo when the latter served in Indonesian Military in East Timor during the 1980s. Hercules was relocated to Jakarta in the mid 1980s for his service in helping the Army fight Timor Leste separatists.
As the reform movement swept the country in 1998 and the military's power was reduced, the police found the courage to prosecute the once untouchable Hercules in 2000 for ransacking the RSCM hospital. However, he only received a two-month jail term. In 2006, Hercules was again sentenced to a two-month jail for ransacking the office of Indo Pos newspaper. (ian)
