TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tempo has released a new investigation report on corruption convicts that should have been behind bars at Sukamiskin penitentiary in Bandung but are actually freely roaming the city. The convicted criminals we have investigated are Romi Herton, Rachmat Yasin, and Anggoro Widjojo.

Based on our four months-worth of investigation at Sukamiskin penitentiary in Bandung, West Java, convicts can easily roam in and out of the prison by exploiting their medical leave. Once they are out of the prison, they head to apartments or rent houses that are located in the vicinity of Bandung without any police escort.

On December 29, 2016, Tempo investigation team caught Romi Herton, former Palembang Mayor, heading towards a house that is located at Kuningan Raya Street No. 101. The house is only 4.5 kilometers away from Sukamiskin penitentiary. The house is rented by Romi’s “second wife”, Lisa Zako. A household assistant named Ayu confirmed that Romi Herton often visits the house. Romi did not reply to Tempo's interview request. Lawyer of Romi and Masyito, Sirra Prayuna, was unwilling to provide any comment, “just ask him,” he said.

The investigation team also witnessed Anggoro Widjojo, a convict of the Integrated Radio Communication System corruption at the Forestry Ministry. Based on our investigation, Anggoro had visited the Gateway Apartment for four times, which is located 3.5 kilometers from Sukamiskin penitentiary. On the evening of December 29, 2016, Anggoro headed back to the penitentiary sitting on the passenger seat of a car that was being driven by a woman. His exiting out of the car was recorded in a video and photo.

Anggoro denies the rumors of him visiting the Gateway Apartment. “I was being treated because I was sick,” he said.

Not only Romi and Anggoro, former Bogor Regent, Rachmat Yasin, who was involved in a bribery case, were also caught heading towards a rented house located at Kompleks Panorama Alam Parahyangan on late December. Rachmat was also less eager to comment. “I can’t explain unless there is a permit from the prison Warden,” he said.

A number of convicts and former prisoners that we team met confirmed that the medical leave outside of the prison compound is often misused to go on a spree. Sukamiskin Prison Warden, Dedi Handoko, admitted that he was not aware that the convicts have abused their medical leave. “There hasn’t been any report [of it]. We assumed it was safe,” he said. Dedi did said that medical leaves could be abused but he denied the information stating that the convicts can travel outside of prison compounds without any security escort. “Everyone must be escorted. We’ll check again later.”

TEMPO INVESTIGATION TEAM

Read the full Investigation Report in Tempo Weekly News Magazine and Tempo English Magazine, and Koran Tempo February 6, 2017 edition.