Novel Baswedan's Attacker Returns, LPSK Offers Protection Program
20 June 2018 16:48 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is set to offer protection for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan following the potential threats that Novel encountered recently.
“The LPSK head has mulled the possibilities of offering [Novel] protection,” said LPSK deputy chief Askari Razak today.
Previous reports stated Novel claimed he had been terrorized by his alleged attacker who was waiting across his private residence just moments after he arrived in Indonesia on February 22, after flying from Singapore where he underwent several eye surgeries.
“The first day I arrived in Indonesia on February 22, the attacker was [right across my house],” Novel Baswedan revealed on June 17. Novel was attacked with liquid acid while walking home from a nearby Mosque early April 2017, which caused him to sustain severe injuries to his eyes.
Read: `Big Man` Backing Novel Baswedan Attackers, Lawyer Says
Askari Razak said the head of LPSK was informed about Novel’s eerie encounter with the alleged attacker from media news reports. He added the LPSK could not yet confirm whether the threat against Novel was real.
He further explained that the LPSK needed to collect more evidence to tell whether the threat was potentially lethal. LPSK plans to meet the KPK chief and Novel Baswedan to officially offer the protection program after the year's joint Eid leave ends.
It has been a year since the National Police released two sketches of the suspects and had arrested several people allegedly linked to the incident. However, the men were later released after proven not involved in the acid attack against Novel Baswedan.
M ROSSENO AJI
