TNI: Gun Purchase by Paspampres Members in the US is `Legal`
9 July 2016 18:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of Information Center of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Major General Tatang Sulaiman said the purchase of firearms by eight members of the Presidential Security Force (Paspampres) in the United States is ‘legal’.
As previously reported, the case came into spotlight after a US Army soldier, Audi Sumilat, pleaded guilty to a US court on Wednesday for participating in a scheme to purchase guns from several US suppliers and later sell them to Paspampres personnel.
Sumilat did not hold a license to export firearms, as the scheme was initiated in 2014, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Sumilat will be sentenced in October and could face five years in prison and a fine of US$250,000. Another suspect in the case has also been charged and is scheduled to face trial on July 19.
“It happened last year but only recently he was sentenced. Our members bought the firearms legally,” Tatang said to Tempo on Saturday.
Tatang added based on the investigation done by the military police, those Paspampres members bought the firearms legally but they have not met administrative requirements yet.
"They haven’t followed up the administrative requirements. Once the administrative requirements are completed, it will not be a problem,” he added.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI