Jakarta – The South Jakarta District Court rejected on Monday the lawsuit filed by eight middle-ranking police officers against National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro.

The judges declared in their pre-trial verdict that the court did not have the authority to try the case, saying that there did not yet exist any supporting regulation to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decree No. 7/2000, which stipulates that the National Police are answerable to the civilian courts, SCTV television station reported.

Earlier, the eight officers had said in their defense that the court had the authority to try the case, while referring to the MPR decree.

The eight officers were identified as Sr. Comr. Bambang Widodo, Sr. Comr. Parlindungan Sinaga, Sr. Comr. Alfons Leomau, Sr. Comr. Nurdin Umar, Sr. Comr. Badaruzzaman Haidir, Sr. Comr. Herman Kotto, Sr. Comr. Banjar Nahor Nainggolan and Sr. Comr. Salihin.

The officers allegedly led some 150 middle-ranking police officers to stage a revolt against National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro on July 9. They declared Bimantoro disobedient and demanded that the police chief comply with presidential orders issued by then president Abdurrahman Wahid to vacate his post. Abdurrahman "publicly" dismissed Bimantoro on July 1, when the National Police celebrated its 55th anniversary.

The eight officers sued Bimantoro, following what they claimed was their unlawful arrest and detention in connection with the insubordination charges imposed against them.

They also said in the lawsuit that the National Police could not charge them for violating the military criminal code, arguing that the police had now to abide by civilian laws and regulations.