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Police commission looks into graft rumor amid ‘star wars’
The National Police Commission (Kompolnas) has vowed to investigate allegations of police links to illegal mining, after a former officer claimed to have been forced to implicate a high-ranking cop, part of what the commission chair has dubbed "star wars."
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he National Police Commission (Kompolnas) has vowed to investigate allegations of police links to illegal mining, after a former officer claimed to have been forced to implicate a high-ranking cop, part of what the commission chair has dubbed “star wars.”
In a meeting on Monday, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD, who is also the Kompolnas chairperson, instructed commissioners to verify the information within the police institution and to monitor the police investigation.
Over the weekend, a video circulated on social media, in which Ismail Bolong – a former police officer in Samarinda, East Kalimantan – said he gave Rp 6 billion (US$382,359) to National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) chief Comr. Gen. Agus Andrianto in a bribery case relating to mining activities in East Kalimantan.
However, following the viral video, Ismail released a statement in another video, denying he had ever paid the money to three-star general Agus. "I will clarify that I have never given money to the Bareskrim [chief]. I have never met him," Ismail said in his most recent statement.
Under pressure
He explained that he made the video statement in February under the pressure from then-head of the police’s internal security agency Brig. Gen. Hendra Kurniawan.
Last month, Hendra was stripped of his one-star rank and dismissed from the police for obstructing justice in the handling of the high-profile Brig. Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat murder case.
The police have found sufficient evidence that the victim’s former commander Ferdy Sambo – a former two-star general and head of internal affairs at the National Police – allegedly orchestrated the killing and worked together with dozens of police officers who initially investigated the case to cover it up.
Agus was involved in the special investigation team into the murder led by National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Gatot Eddy along with members of police’s General Supervision Inspectorate (Irwasum).
Minister Mahfud said that there were indications of attacks between high-ranking police officers by revealing each other's secrets.
“The 'star wars' rumor keeps popping up. In this war, the high-ranking [star] officers expose each other's trump cards. We must immediately handle this by looking at the root of the problem," Mahfud said on Sunday as quoted by Kompas.
He said that although Ismail had withdrawn his accusations against Agus, Mahfud would continue to investigate and coordinate with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to confirm Ismail's initial claim.
Immediate clarification
Separately, Kompolnas commissioner Albertus Wahyurudhanto said that Kompolnas planned to question related parties within the police to verify whether the bribery accusations were true.
"If it's true, the police must take immediate measures, if it's not, they should immediately clarify to the public as the rumor has been widely spread," Albertus told The Jakarta Post after the meeting on Monday.
KPK spokesperson Ali Fikri welcomed Mahfud's move, saying the antigraft body is ready to be involved in eradicating the mining mafia.
"We certainly welcome [Mahfud’s plan]," Ali said in a statement also on Monday.
At the time of writing, National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo was not available for comment.
