National Police Will Continue Investigation Into KPK Investigator

The National Police will continue to investigate murder allegations levied against a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator, despite critical words from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the timing of the investigation.

"It will be continued by a joint [investigation] team," said Comr. Gen. Nanan Sukarna, deputy chief of the National Police. "I have told Kontras [the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence] that I will handle this case the [same] way they defended Munir relentlessly.

"I wonder why Kontras chooses to protect the suspect, instead of the victim," he added.

The National Police allege that Comr. Novel Baswedan murdered a thief while working as a police officer in Bengkulu eight years ago.

According to Tempo.co, the National Police reportedly found a piece of vital evidence â?? a bullet from Novel’s gun â?? still in the leg of one of his alleged victims last month. The bullet allegedly tied him to the death of a thief in 2004.

But according to Tempo magazine, which interviewed Novel on Friday night, the thief was killed by an angry mob before Novel arrived at the scene. Since it involved his subordinates, Novel took the initiative to be responsible for the case, for which he faced disciplinary sanctions. Police declared the case closed in 2004.

Yudhoyono raised concerns over the timing of the investigation in his speech last night. The National Police and the antigraft body have been embroiled in a two-month-long fight over the KPK’s investigation into corruption allegations against some of the department’s top cops.

"With regards to the police’s handling of Comr. Novel Baswedan’s case, which happened eight years ago, I have to view that the timing and ways in which police have done this are not correct," the president said.

Police officers stormed the KPK building on Friday in an attempt to arrest Novel after the investigator questioned Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo for eight hours.

But police said the evidence only recently came to light. The deputy chief defended the department’s actions, saying police were working to "carry out orders."

"National Police will carry out orders in the right way and ethical by upholding the law," Nanan said