Jakarta – The National Police on Tuesday revealed a major reshuffle involving two regional police chiefs who have been in the hot seat over the past few weeks over corruption and human rights abuse allegations.
According to a National Police decree on the reshuffle, dated March 25 and released on Tuesday, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo removed West Sumatra Police chief Brig. Gen. Wahyu Indra Pramugari and Central Sulawesi Police chief brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana.
Wahyu, who had been serving as West Sumatra Police chief for over two years, is now posted at the National Police Educational Institution (Lemdikpol). He has been replaced by Brig. Gen. Nur Ali, a director at the National Police's criminal investigations division (Bareskrim).
Meanwhile, Dewa, who will serve at the National Police Inspectorate General (Itwasum), will be replaced by Brig. Gen. Ari Dono Sukmanto, a director at Bareskrim.
The decision to remove Wahyu was made a few weeks after members of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) from West Sumatra urged the National Police chief to replace Wahyu. They claimed to have received reports from the local community that Wahyu had been paid to protect illegal gold mining areas in Southern Solok, West Sumatra.
The police official has also been implicated in the high-profile corruption scandal surrounding the procurement of driving simulators at the National Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas). The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested and charged former Korlantas chief Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo for his role in the case. Wahyu has been questioned as a witness in the case.
Meanwhile, Dewa has been under fire over alleged human rights abuses such as unlawful shootings and the torture of terror suspects that occurred under his leadership.
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), which conducted research in the province and found indications of human rights abuses there, had called on the police chief to axe him.
Earlier this month, Komnas HAM verified a video depicting officers from a police counterterrorism squad allegedly using excessive force while searching for suspects in Poso, Central Sulawesi.
The commission had received testimony from several local residents who were later convicted of terrorism claiming they were beaten or shot by police officers after surrendering during the raids.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar, however, denied that the reshuffle had anything to do with the scandals.
"Reshuffles are normal for career coaching," Boy told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. "It has nothing to do with those cases," he added.
Separately, Indonesia Police Watch's Neta S. Pane shared the same view, saying that the reshuffle was not unusual as the chiefs had served in their positions for over two years. "This is just a regular reshuffle as the regional police chiefs and the officers who were removed from their positions had been serving in their position for more than two years, which is quite a long time," Neta told the Post. "We should wait for developments in the graft case that is being investigated by the KPK. However, it was not the cause behind the reshuffle."
The National Police also removed North Maluku Police chief Affan Richwanto from his position. Brig. Gen. Machfud Arifin, a director at the National Police Security Maintenance Agency (Baharkam), has been tapped as the new North Maluku Police chief, replacing Affan, who will serve as a director at Baharkam. (nad)