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Indonesian police release deputy head of anti-graft agency

Posted January 22, 2015 10:00 pm

By NINIEK KARMINI

A supporter of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) holds a poster during a protest against the arrest of the deputy head of the Corruption Eradication Commission Bambang Widjojanto by the police, outside the commission's office in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015. Widjojanto was arrested Friday, days after he said a national police chief hopeful was a graft suspect, sparking public demands for the country's president to defend the body. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) The Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Police released a deputy head of Indonesia's top anti-corruption body early Saturday following his arrest and interrogation that posed a serious challenge for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's efforts to battle graft.

The arrest of Bambang Widjojanto came days after the Corruption Eradication Commission named a three-star police officer a corruption suspect, sparking accusations of police retaliation and demands that the president defend the agency.

Widjojanto left police headquarters in southern Jakarta after midnight Friday, saying he was ready for more questioning if needed.

More than 100 activists gathered at the commission's office in central Jakarta to support Widjojanto and call on Jokowi to back the graft-fighting body.

"People could easily guess that the arrest is not purely an effort to enforce the law," said anti-graft activist Zainal Arifin Mochtar. "It is time for Jokowi to prove his words during his campaign."

Widjojanto and commission head Abraham Samad had earlier named police Lt. Gen. Budi Gunawan a graft suspect, just a day before Parliament was to hold a confirmation hearing on his nomination as national police chief. Parliament still endorsed the nomination. Gunawan's candidacy has been challenged by anti-graft activists.

The commission has been investigating $4.3 million in Gunawan's bank accounts, and Widjojanto and Samad have said they have evidence the money may be related to criminal offenses such as bribes.

Jokowi announced last week that he has postponed the decision to appoint Gunawan as police chief because he is being investigated by the commission.

National Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Ronny Franky Sompie said Widjojanto was arrested for allegedly giving false testimony as a lawyer in 2010.

"We have enough evidence that he asked witnesses to provide false reports before the court," Sompie told reporters.

On Friday, Jokowi summoned leaders of the anti-graft commission and acting police chief Lt. Gen. Badrodin Haiti to the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java province, and urged them to avoid friction between the two institutions.

"I have asked both (the commission) and the police to ensure that the ongoing legal process should be objective and in accordance with the existing laws," Jokowi said.

Indonesia is often ranked by international observers as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The anti-graft commission has made powerful enemies by putting scores of suspects on trial.

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Associated Press writers Ali Kotarumalos in Jakarta contributed to this report.

A supporter of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) holds up a poster during a protest against the arrest of the deputy head of the Corruption Eradication Commission Bambang Widjojanto by the police, outside the commission's office in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015. Widjojanto was arrested Friday, days after he said a national police chief hopeful was a graft suspect, sparking public demands for the country's president to defend the body. (AP Photo/tatan Syuflana) The Associated Press

A masked supporter of Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) holds up a poster that reads "I am KPK" during a protest against the arrest of the deputy head of the Corruption Eradication Commission Bambang Widjojanto by the police, outside the commission's office in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015. Widjojanto was arrested Friday, days after he said a national police chief hopeful was a graft suspect, sparking public demands for the country's president to defend the body. (AP Photo/tatan Syuflana) The Associated Press

Supporters of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) raise their fists as they stage a protest against the arrest of the deputy head of the Corruption Eradication Commission Bambang Widjojanto by the police, outside the commission's office in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015. Widjojanto was arrested Friday, days after he said a national police chief hopeful was a graft suspect, sparking public demands for the country's president to defend the body. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) The Associated Press

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