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Suspected attacker of Novel released due to lack of evidence
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Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan sits in a wheelchair at a hospital in North Jakarta on April 11. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
The Jakarta Police have released Miko Panji Tirtayasa from custody following questioning at police headquarters.
Miko was arrested recently following suspicions of his possible involvement in the recent acid attack on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan. Miko is the nephew of graft convict Muhtar Efendi,
Police investigators released Miko due to a lack of evidence. “We checked his alibi and confirmed that he was not in Jakarta during the incident,” Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono told journalists on Friday.
Miko was arrested on Tuesday. The police later detained him for further questioning on Thursday.
(Read also: Graft convict's nephew arrested on suspicion of involvement in acid attack)
In a video that went viral in early May, Miko said he was forced by KPK investigators to give false testimony against his uncle, Muhtar Efendi.
He also claimed that the KPK had given him money to compensate for his false statement. “He [Miko] said he made the video to express his resentment toward the KPK, saying he was intimidated by investigators from the anti-graft body,” Argo said.
The police are currently investigating other clues that might point to the perpetrators of the attack.
On Thursday, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said the police “would check evidence, witnesses, documents and bank details” to see whether Miko’s claims were true.
Miko is the fourth person released by the Jakarta Police due to a lack of evidence since Novel was attacked on April 11. (dis/ebf)
