The Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) investigation into the graft case involving former chief of the National Traffic Police (Korlantas) Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo has unwittingly exposed his practice of polygamy, which not only cost taxpayers’ money but also constitutes a violation against government regulations.

The revelation of Djoko’s polygamy began when the KPK confiscated three private homes belonging to the police general in Surakarta, Semarang and Yogyakarta earlier this week.

The KPK found the house in Surakarta to be occupied by a former local pageant queen identified as Dipta Anindita. It was later revealed that Dipta was Djoko’s second wife. She was taken to Jakarta for further questioning. The KPK issued a travel ban on the 23-year-old Dipta last month.

But Dipta is not the only female linked to the high profile graft suspect. The KPK had previously questioned Poppy Femialya, another female friend of Djoko, as suspect in the Rp 200 billion (US$21.2 million) driving simulator procurement scandal at Korlantas.

Djoko is said to have wired the money, which he allegedly swindled from the procurement project, to both Poppy and Dipta.

He had also given seven luxurious houses and an apartment to Dipta. Her homes, located in Surakarta, Semarang and Greater Jakarta, are worth tens of billions of rupiah.

Djoko’s questionable relationships with the women, particularly his marriage to Dipta, led many to speculate that he had abused his authority and infringed on a regulation that bans civil servants from being polygamous.

Government Regulation No. 10/1983, which was later amended with PP No. 45/1990, stipulates that male civil servants, including members of the police and the Indonesian Military, could only marry a second wife after receiving approval from their superiors.

Any state official who violates the regulation could face severe punishment, ranging from demotion to dismissal.

The National Police’ general supervisory inspector, Comr. Gen. Fajar Prihantoro said the corps never gave Djoko its approval to take a second wife. Fajar said that the corps could only open an investigation if Djoko’s first wife, Suratmi, filed a complaint to the police.

Based on a marriage certificate obtained by the KPK, Djoko and Dipta tied the knot in December 2008, only months after she was crowned as Surakarta’s pageant queen. Dipta was 19 years old at the time of the wedding.

On the marriage certificate, the groom is identified as Joko, and born in 1970. Djoko was born in 1960.

Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) chairman Neta S. Pane urged the police to launch an investigation into the marriage.

“It should be investigated if Djoko faked his identity on the wedding certificate or if he bribed the wedding administrators. If this is true, then he could be charged under the criminal law,” Neta told The Jakarta Post.

Polygamy and extramarital affairs are nothing new in the police force.

In 2010, Husni Maderi, a relative and lawyer of former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, said both practices were rampant in the corps and no action had been taken against high-ranking officers who had more than one wife.

Last year, soap opera actor Shinta Bachir made headlines with her claims that she had an affair with a former Jakarta Police chief.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi revealed that investigators had confiscated a total of six homes belonging to Djoko.

The houses are located on Jl. Sam Ratulangi, Banjarsari subdistrict, and on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Sondakan subdistrict, both in Surakarta; Jl. Langenastran Kidul No. 7 and on Jl. Patehan Lor No. 34 and 36 in Yogyakarta; the final house is on Jl. Bukit Golf, Jangli subdistrict, Tembalang district, in Semarang. The KPK is yet to determine the value of the houses.

Bambang Muryanto and Kusumasari Ayuningtyas contributed to this report from Semarang and Surakarta

Popular

Japan to export used destroyers to Philippines to deter China

Indonesia to face Saudi Arabia in World Cup qualifying

Kertajati’s hard lesson