TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chief of Staff of the Army, General Pramono Edhie Wibowo, said Saturday (3/30) that he had formed a team to investigate the attack on the Cebongan Penitentiary in Sleman, Yogyakarta. The team, he said at a press conference, was formed on the basis of indications that the TNI (Indonesian Armed Forces) Army is involved in the incident.
"The interim findings of the police's investigation indicate the involvement or the role of TNI Army personnel serving in Central Java," Pramono said.
The team comprises of members of local military police and military resort command, lead by Deputy Commander of the Central Military Police, Brigadier General Unggul. "The team will announce the results as soon as sufficient amount of information is obtained," he said.
About 17 men armed with rifles, pistols, and grenades stormed the Cebongan prison on Saturday, March 23. After a forced break-in, they shot four inmates in cell A5: Hendrik Angel Sahetapy, Adrianus Candra Galaja, Yohanis Juan Manbait, and Gameliel Yermiyanto Rohi Riwu. The inmates were convicted for the murder of Sergeant Santoso, member of the Special Forces Command (Kopassus), who was killed at at Hugo's Café in Sleman on March 19.
Pramono said the team is ready to work with other investigative teams. So far, two investigative teams are already working on the case; the police's and the National Commission on Human Rights' (Komnas HAM).
Responding to the establishment of a TNI Army investigation team, coordinator of the working agency for the Commission for Missing Persons & Victims of Violence (Kontras) Haris Azhar said he is worried that the team would cover up the truth. He proposed that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono form an independent investigation team.
MUHAMAD RIZKI | NUR ALFIYAH | INDRA WIJAYA | EFRI R