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New witnesses in Novel Baswedan case: Joint team

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Jakarta Post - April 25, 2019

Jakarta – The National Police's fact-finding team dedicated to investigating an attack on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan has named new witnesses in the case, which has remained unsolved for two years.

"We have found new witnesses," team member Hendardi, chairman of the Setara Institute, said after a meeting with KPK officials in Jakarta on Wednesday as quoted by Tempo.co. He did not elaborate.

Novel was attacked by unknown assailants on a motorbike who threw acid in his face in April 2017, leaving him partially blind. He later openly expressed his suspicion that a police general played a role in the assault.

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian created the fact-finding team in January, bringing together experts, police officers and KPK investigators who are expected to wrap up their investigation in July.

Three months after its establishment, the team reconstructed the incident and questioned witnesses as well as expert witnesses, Hendardi said.

Another team member, former National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commission Nur Kholis, added that the team had run an alibi check on the two new suspects.

"In the meantime, our findings matched with what the suspects said in earlier investigations," he said.

The team held a meeting with KPK officials Laode M. Syarif and Saut Situmorang to inform them of its developments in the investigation. Other team members, National Police Commission (Kompolnas) commissioner Poengky Indarti, former KPK commissioner Indriyanto Seno Adji, former Komnas HAM chairman Ifdhal Kasim and Ombudsman chairman Amzulian Rifai, were also present in the meeting.

Hendardi said the team had also requested KPK officials' approval to question Novel during the meeting. "I believe we have received a green light from the KPK leaders," he added. (ars)

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/04/25/new-witnesses-in-novel-baswedan-case-joint-team.html

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