Pry for Salim Kancil

An East Java village chief has admitted bribing police officers to turn a blind eye to mining activities, subsequently triggering events that lead to the murder of farmer and activist Salim. (Antara Photo/Ari Bowo Sucipto)

Jakarta. National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti instructed his men in East Java to launch an investigation into a possible graft case after a village chief admitted to bribing local law enforcement officers, as well as members of the executive and legislative branches of the local government.

“I have told [East Java] provincial police chief [Insp. Gen. Anton Setiadji] to investigate the case in anyway possible. Whoever is involved, be they from the legislative or executive level, make sure that they face justice,” Badrodin said.

The four-star general was commenting on a recent admission made by Selok Awar-Awar village chief Hariyono, who said he had bribed numerous officials to protect an illegal sand mining operation in his village.

The mine, which had been operational for a year, was brought to public attention after local farmer Salim, also known as Kancil, was found brutally murdered last month. It was later revealed that Salim had been leading a series of protest against the mine.

Three officers from the Pasirian subdistrict police – a former chief Adj. Comr. Sudarmanto, the current criminal investigation unit chief Second Insp. Samsul Hadi and chief of public order and security Second Adj. Insp. Sigit Purnomo – are now facing an internal ethics tribunal at the East Java Provincial Police headquarters in Surabaya.

Hariyono testified against the three officers on Monday, and confessed to providing Sudarmanto with Rp 1 million ($74.50) a month while Samsul and Sigit each received Rp 500,000.

Hariyono told the hearing that he earned Rp 426 million a month from the operation and that some of the funds were used to bribe officials from the Pasirian subdistrict office, the local military and state logging firm Perhutani.

Police have charged 23 people for the murder of Salim, including Hariyono who police identified as the mastermind behind the killing and the illegal mining operation, since the murder received nationwide attention.

Police suspected that more were in on the action because officers in the area allowed the mine to operate for over a year and failed to provide protection to protesting farmers despite repeated reports  of death threats and intimidation.

By : Farouk Arnaz | on 5:00 PM October 14, 2015