"We have found an important witness but he has asked for anonimity for his security," Tito said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo here on Monday ordered police chief General Tito Karnavian to immediately uncover the acid attack case of anti-graft agency investigator Novel Baswedan.

"He (the President) has ordered immediate conclusion of the case. That is his order. We just now already presented steos that we have taken so far. In principle we wish to settle it as fast as possible but sometimes we met constraints," Tito said after meeting the President to report the case.

Tito had shown the sketch of the suspect who had conducted the attack on Baswedan. He is a man with a height of 167-170 cm, dark skin, curl hair and slender.

Until now 59 people have been questioned and five people have been secured consisting of M, H, MAL, Miko and legislator Miryam S Haryani but after being examined it was found they were not connected with the case, he said.

"We have also checked around 50 CCTVs within a radius of one kilometer and also around 100 shops selling H2SO4. We are still investigating," he added.

Tito said he however believed no police general had been involved in the case as has been reported lately.

He admitted the police had found an important witness that could possibly answer the questions.

"We have found an important witness but he has asked for anonimity for his security. He saw a suspicious person five minutes before the incident who stood near the mosque and he could have been the one who rode the motorbike of the attacker," he said.

Based on his information the police then drew the sketch of the person. "We did it repeatedly manually as well as using latest technology with the help of the Australian police until we finally had this sketch. We have not oublished it before. It was just finished two days ago," he said.

Baswedan was attacked with acid by two persons riding on a motorbike on April 11, 2017 after conducting dawn prayers at a mosque near his house.

Due to the attack his eyes have been damaged and he had to be treated at Singspore National Eye Center since April 12. He is already improving but is still being treated at the hospital.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017