"The case expose that was scheduled to be held today at the detective division will be postponed to a later date," Brig. Gen. Agus Rianto said at National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

Agus said that the detective division decided to postpone the case expose because it received news that several people who were invited, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) acting leaders, had not received their invitations.

"The detective division is aware that the public is generally pessimistic about how professional our investigators can be when handling a case involving a police officer, especially a high-ranking one," he said.

"That's why the detective division wants to make sure that all parties invited are in attendance so that the case is seen through many eyes, not just the police's."

Budi, who was nominated by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo as police chief candidate, was named by the KPK as graft suspect a day before undergoing a confirmation hearing at the House of Representatives in January 2015.

The President cancelled his inauguration after strong protests from the public, especially anticorruption activists.

Budi, who was once adjutant for former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, was named a suspect on allegations that he accepted bribes during his time as head of the career and human resources development division from 2004 through 2006.

The case triggered a prolonged conflict between the KPK and the police, who later allegedly criminalized inactive KPK chairman Abraham Samad and deputy KPK chairman Bambang Widjojanto.

Following the appointment of Taufiequrachman Ruki as acting KPK chairman and Johan Budi and Idriyanto Seno Adjie as deputy KPK chairpersons to replace Abraham, Bambang and Busyro Muqoddas, the KPK handed over the Budi case to the Attorney General'€™s Office, who later gave it to the National Police in an apparent move to end the police-KPK conflict after Budi won a verdict from the South Jakarta District Court that invalidated his suspect status.

The handover of the Budi case to the police has aroused skepticism that Budi will be acquitted of all charges. Deputy police chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who has been nominated as new police chief, has vowed to handle the Budi case professionally and in accordance with the law. (hhr)

Popular

One Indonesian still in hospital after Jeddah bus crash, Foreign Ministry says

Could the Strait of Malacca be the next global flashpoint?

EU seeks to allay RI supply concerns amid sanctions on Russian oil