Bagus BT Saragih and Arya Dipa, Jakarta, Bandung – The National Police displayed an arrogant disregard of the law by protecting graft convict and former National Police detectives chief Comr. Gen. (ret.) Susno Duadji from prosecutors, who were attempting to escort him to prison.

Following a day-long stand-off at his private residence in Cimenyan, Bandung, West Java, Susno – on an order from West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Tubagus Anis Angka Wijaya – was given safe haven at the West Java Police headquarters.

After an altercation that lasted for hours, Susno – who served as the West Java Police chief between 2008 and 2009 – was taken to the police headquarters on Wednesday afternoon to receive protection from members of his corps.

"Pak Susno contacted me asking for protection. As a citizen, he has the right to protection from prosecutors," Tubagus told reporters on Wednesday.

As the West Java Police convoy escorted Susno to their headquarters, prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office stood powerless, unable to proceed with their plans to take the former police general to the Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung.

Wednesday's incident was the second time Susno managed to evade prosecutors who wanted to make him serve his three-and-a-half year jail term.

Susno remains free despite a final and legally binding verdict issued by the Supreme Court in November last year, which declared him guilty of corruption.

The court also ordered Susno to pay Rp 200 million (US$20,582) in fines. The South Jakarta District Court found Susno guilty in March 2011 of accepting bribes and misappropriating election security funds.

These charges were leveled against him after he became a whistle-blower and leaked information about corrupt practices involving the tax office, the National Police, the Attorney General's Office and numerous domestic and foreign companies.

Concerned that Susno could once again escape detention, the AGO and the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office deployed more than 20 personnel to arrest Susno on Wednesday morning. But Susno fought back from inside his luxurious house.

Susno was briefly seen at the house's entrance engaged in a verbal exchange with some of the prosecutors.

Minutes later, more than 50 members of the Hizbullah Brigade, an Islamic organization affiliated with the Crescent Star Party (PBB), began to descend around Susno's residence to guard the compound. Susno is a legislative candidate representing the PBB from an electoral district in West Java. Soon thereafter, West Java Police officers begun to arrive.

West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said the deployment of the police was to "prevent clashes between Susno and prosecutors".

Martinus denied that the West Java Police had provided special protection for Susno. "This is part of our service to a civilian. Every citizen deserves equal rights to police protection," he said.

"When Susno asked to be allowed to take a shower, we granted it. But he stayed in his room until the police and the protesters arrived," said one of the prosecutors, Amiryanto.

Susno also tried to drum up support through his Twitter account. "Now prosecutors want to forcefully execute a flawed court ruling. Please come to Susno's house now," Susno said via his Twitter handle @susno2g.

His lawyer, Yusril Ihza Mahendra who is also the PBB's chief patron, arrived at the scene to explain Susno's next steps. "Susno will get protection from the police and this has been coordinated with the National Police," said Yusril.

He said that the Supreme Court ruling was flawed and should be rendered void. He insisted that the ruling did not specifically order Susno's detention.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) activist Emerson Yuntho slammed the police for their public display of contempt for the law. "This is a very shameful precedent set by the National Police," he said.

Evading due process

• June 26, 2012: A mob tried to prevent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) personnel from arresting former Buol regent Amran Batalipu shortly after being caught red-handed accepting a bribe from a plantation company. A car used by KPK investigators was badly damaged during the incident.
• March 14, 2012: Former Bekasi mayor Mochtar Muhammad refused to go to prison claiming that he had not received an official copy of the Supreme Court's ruling. The Supreme Court had upheld a lower court's sentencing of Mochtar to six years in prison, after finding him guilty of paying Rp 1.6 billion in bribes to local councilors and of using Rp 639 million of state funds for his personal use.
• Dec. 13, 2012: Around 50 people confronted prosecutors attempting to escort Theddy Tengko, the former regent of Aru Islands in Maluku, to prison. Theddy had been sentenced to four years in prison for embezzlement.
• Jan. 18, 2010: The late Lt. Gen. (ret.) Herman Sarens Soediro resisted arrest despite dozens of military policemen besieging his house. Herman was charged with corruption for illicitly owning military assets. The case had still not come to court when Herman passed away in July 2010.

Source: The Jakarta Post