Jakarta – The Jakarta Police have arrested an Indonesian businessman named Giovani, his girlfriend Nola Aprilia and four police officers for allegedly conspiring to kidnap and to extort a British man identified as Matthew Simon Craib in Jakarta last week.
"The first suspect in the case is Giovani. He [allegedly] asked his girlfriend Nola Aprilia to plan the kidnapping," Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said in a written statement on Monday, as reported by tempo.co.
Craib was abducted, reportedly after meeting with Giovani in an undisclosed place on Oct. 30 at night. As Craib was driving back to his home, the four police officers allegedly followed him and stopped his car on Lingkar Barat toll road.
The accused officers were identified as Second Brig. Julia Bita Bangapadang from the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) and three others from the East Jakarta Police, namely Second Brig. Nugroho Putro Utomo, Fist Brig. Herodotus and Second Brig. Sandika Bayu.
"The perpetrators then searched his car and brought Craib to the Jakarta Police headquarters as they planned to make it look like a criminal investigation. However, they didn't stay long there and brought Craib back to his car," Argo said.
The police officers allegedly called Craib's wife, Vitri Lugvianty, to demand US$1 million in ransom for his release. Upon receiving the call, Vitri reported her husband's kidnapping to the Jakarta Police on Oct. 31.
Police report that Craib initially asked the captors to bring him to his boss named Pitt. However, they allegedly decided to bring him to the C'one Hotel in Pulomas, East Jakarta, where Craib was interrogated all day.
The captors are also accused of demanding Craib call Pitt to ask for the US$1 million ransom. Pitt reportedly offered $400,000, but eventually agreed to provide them with $900,000 in exchange for Craib's freedom.
After receiving the ransom, the perpetrators went to a money changer in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta to change the dollar bills into rupiah. There, the four were arrested by Jakarta Police officers.
The four officers are currently being detained in the Jakarta Police headquarter in South Jakarta for further investigation.
Argo said they would be charged under articles 328, 333 and 368 of the Criminal Code on kidnapping, forcible confinement and blackmail.