"We will be transparent and objective in handling the case," Prabowo stated at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on late Thursday.
The police will notify the public on the progress achieved in the investigation process, he noted.
Prabowo drew attention to the fact that Tjandra’s arrest demonstrated the police's seriousness in settling the graft case. "This certainly will put to rest the public’s doubts on the police’s capability to arrest him (Djoko Tjandra)," Prabowo stated.
"Today, with Djoko Tjandra’s arrest, we proved our commitment," he pointed out.
Tjandra, a graft convict on the run for 11 years, was arrested on Thursday in Malaysia. He was brought back to Indonesia and landed at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport on Thursday evening.
Indonesian Police Chief Gen. Idham Azis has formed a special team of the police’s criminal investigation unit to trace the fugitive and got a whiff of his presence in Malaysia.
"The police chief sent a letter to the Malaysian Police to help in searching the convict. We managed to locate him on (Thursday) afternoon," Prabowo revealed.
"Alhamdulillah (Thank God), we have arrested Djoko Tjandra owing to cooperation with the Malaysian Police," he remarked.
The police had earlier named Tjandra's lawyer, Anita Dewi Anggraeni Kolopaking, a suspect in the issuance of a fake travel permit for him by Brigadier General (Pol) Prasetijo Utomo, a high-ranking officer of the Indonesian Police.
Kolopaking is charged with layered articles: article 263 (2) of the Criminal Code pertaining to the use of fake letters and Article 223 of the Criminal Code on the escape of prisoners based on the judge’s decision.
Tjandra was first arrested in September 1999 for his involvement in the Bank Bali corruption case. The South Jakarta District Court acquitted him in 2000.
After the AGO filed a request for review, the Supreme Court sentenced Tjandra to a two-year prison term in 2009 and ordered him to pay Rp546 billion (US$54 million) in restitution. However, he fled to Papua New Guinea a day before the court’s ruling and had remained at large ever since.
Related news: Ago asks for Singapore`s help to locate Djoko Tjandra
Related news: KPK studying policy and procedures in BLBI scandal
Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Sri Haryat
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
