Djoko Suyanto backs police to continue Novel investigation

Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Mon, October 15 2012, 9:51 PM

Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto backed the police’s move to continue their investigation into the alleged assaults and shootings by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Comr. Novel Baswedan.

“Did the President say in his speech that the investigation by the police should be stopped? I don’t think so. The President only said that the timing and the method were inappropriate,” Djoko told the press at the Presidential Office on Monday.

He was referring to a public statement by Yudhoyono on Oct. 8 concerning the tense relationship between the police and the anti-graft body.

Djoko also rejected any suggestion that the police had defied Yudhoyono’s order by insisting to continue to investigate the Bengkulu case.

“Please don’t give the wrong impression about the police. They have talked with the KPK concerning the matters and the two bodies have been engaged in positive talks,” he said.

The police have named Novel a suspect for allegedly torturing and shooting robbery suspects when he served as a police detective in Bengkulu in 2004.

Many believe the move was aimed at disrupting the KPK's investigation into alleged high profile corruption surrounding the procurement of vehicle simulators at the National Police Traffic Corps, in which Novel is the lead investigator.