Indra Subagja Jakarta – The investigation into the murder of human rights activists Munir continues. Now that Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto has been sentenced to 20 years in jail by the Supreme Court, police are now taking aim at other suspects – a number of which have already been questioned.
“We have another strategy, people associated with him are being questioned first of all. This has already been done, but it’s not for public consumption,” said national police public relations division head Inspector General Sisno Adiwinoto at the national police headquarters on Jl. Trunojoyo in Jakarta on Friday February 22.
According to Adiwinoto, the testimony of these witnesses will lead to other suspects. “We already have information and have started questioning others,” he explained again.
Adiwinoto admitted however that they had yet to question Priyanto again. “He is still upset because he’s only just been sentenced. Past experience is that he often equivocates, so we will be seeking other witnesses first. But the key still lies with Polly[carpus],” explained Adiwinoto.
Adiwinoto said that in order to target new suspects, the previous testimonies of witness will be used first. But he declined to give an answer as to how many number new witnesses have also been questioned. “There are several, okay”, exclaimed the former high-ranking officer who will soon occupy a new post as the South Sulawesi chief of police.
From the testimony of witnesses however, police now know where the planning of the murder took place. “The police have been able to discover this, but it’s not for public consumption, right”, he asserted.
Information obtain from police has already been recorded in police investigation reports from 4-5 new witnesses. Most of these are people from intelligence circles. “All of them are civilians, they were questioned separately at the national police headquarters last Sunday”, said an investigator.
The witnesses have also provided information that has been of assistance in the investigation to indict new suspects. “It’s very significant”, he asserted. (ndr/mly)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
