Jakarta – Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) chairperson Neta S. Pane said 33 officials of the National Police allegedly received money from Chief Brig. Labora Sitorus, a suspect in a variety of illegal logging, fuel smuggling and money laundering cases. He added that the officials had not yet been questioned regarding the illicit flows of money.

According to Neta, this contradicts statements made by the chief of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate (Bareskrim), Comr. Gen. Sutarman, on May 20, who confirmed that anyone who received money from the non-commissioned officer (Bintara) in the Papua Police would face criminal sanctions. Only Sitorus has so far been questioned in the cases.

"In fact, Sutarman's promises are simply hollow. Many officials who allegedly received the money still sleep well," said Neta.

He said five months after Sitorus' case first came to public attention, there had been no signs that the 33 National Police officials, who allegedly received money from the graft suspect, would be questioned; therefore, the police's commitment to completely investigating the case remained in question.

Data obtained by the IPW shows that from January 2012 to March 2013, Sitorus gave money to 33 National Police officials, including police post chiefs; heads of sub-precinct and precinct police stations; the police's Internal Affairs Division (Propam) officials; directors at the Papua Police; the Papua Police chief and his staffers, and officials at the National Police headquarters.

In 15 months, the total amount of Sitorus' money which was disbursed to National Police officials, in the form of bank transfers and cash, amounted to Rp 10.9 billion (US$955,302).

"IPW urges the National Police headquarters to be consistent in investigating anyone who received money from Chief Brig.Labora Sitorus," said Neta. (ebf)