"I think it has all been cleared. If you want to know anything else you may just ask the investigators. I want to go home. I am hungry," Ahok said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama refused to comment after being grilled by the police for about nine hours over his recent alleged blasphemous statement here Monday.

"I think it has all been cleared. If you want to know anything else you may just ask the investigators. I want to go home. I am hungry," he said, and left immediately.

Ahok, as the governor is also referred to, was asked 22 questions at the National Police Headquarters for nine hours as a witness. This was apart from the 18 questions he had received when he reached the police headquarters at 8.15am on his own initiative to issue a clarification over his statement.

Ahok had received a total number of 40 questions, the chief of Ahoks team of lawyers, Sirra Prayuna, explained.

The investigation had gone smoothly and "Pak (Mr) Ahok could answer all the questions that have been given to him," he said.

The police have so far heard testimonies from 29 witnesses in connection with the investigation of the case.

The witnesses who have given testimonies include 12 law, language, interpretation and religious experts, and 13 other witnesses presented by the parties that have submitted complaints against Ahok.

The police questioned four witnesses that day including Ahok.

Hundreds of thousands of Moslems participated in a demonstration organized by several Islamic organizations on Friday.

The demonstration was peaceful until the 6pm deadline but rioting flared up after that. Some demonstrators who refused to disperse attacked the police by throwing stones, pieces of wood and bottles and the security forces responded with tear gas.

President Joko Widodo expressed his regret over the clash after the demonstrators who had gathered in front of the Merdeka Palace here Friday began dispersing at around 7:00 pm local time.

"We deplore the incident that occurred after the Isha (evening prayers) when demonstrators who should have dispersed turned violent. We saw that the situation was exploited by certain political actors," Jokowi stressed at a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta early Saturday.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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