12 Minutes Novel Baswedan Answers About His Watering Case To The Police

JAKARTA - Investigators at the National Police Headquarters have completed the investigation of Novel Baswedan regarding the case of sprinkling hard water. The process of taking the information took almost ten hours with dozens of questions asked by the police investigator. However, it only took about 12 minutes for Novel to retell the assault case.

Novel Baswedan finished undergoing examination at around 20.04 WIB. Accompanied by his attorney, the man walked out of the investigation room. However, before leaving the General Criminal Investigation Directorate building of Polda Metro Jaya, several statements were given by him.

At the beginning of his statement, Novel said that taking his statement as a victim was a follow-up examination. Because on the previous occasion, Police investigators examined him at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Singapore.

In this follow-up examination, it was said that the Polda Metro Jaya investigators would make 36 statements relating to the hard water sprinkling case. Apart from that, on that occasion it was also mentioned that Novel had provided input related to the Criminal Article which was suspected to the two suspects.

Currently, the two suspects, RB and RM, are charged with Article 170 of the Criminal Code concerning beatings. Meanwhile, according to Novel, the article did not match the reason that the watering was only done by one person.

"I was attacked by two executors, the two of them. But the one who attacked one person, while the article applied to Article 170, I am afraid the article is not correct," Novel said in Jakarta, Monday, January 6.

With the inaccuracy of the Article that was suspected of the two active Police members, it is feared that it will only become an obstacle during the next process. Moreover, he emphasized, a case that made him a victim was more appropriate if he was charged with the article of persecution. In fact, there is an element of attempted murder behind the case.

This was evidenced by the wound he suffered on his left eye. In addition, the matter of the assassination attempt can be assessed by the preparation of the two perpetrators before taking action. For this reason, Novel also asked investigators to further investigate the alleged Article.

"This attack on me was more about serious persecution, planning to result in serious injuries, which was carried out with resistance. So this is the highest level of persecution, although there is a chance that this attack on me was an attempted planned murder," Novel said.

Novel is also reluctant to speculate regarding the motive for the watering which is based on personal problems. He emphasized that he did not know the two active Police members at all.

"I have previously answered to investigators that I do not know the person concerned, have never met, have never communicated or other interactions, whether in personal or official matters. Therefore I cannot give anything else related to the suspect," said Novel.

Novel hopes that the investigative process will run transparently. It even came out of the mouth if later in the investigation of the case, it could reveal the mastermind behind the case. This is because during the Komnas HAM investigation some time ago there was a statement that the attack was very well organized.

"I do not know whether the police investigator can link the person named the suspect with the person who observed me before. With other matters related to the party communicating with the editor and others," said Novel.

In addition, the senior KPK investigator had said that he was ready to meet the two suspects. To help reveal the motive or even uncover the mastermind behind the case.

With these statements, Novel also emphasized that the motive for the attack on him was not due to personal problems. What he believed was the background or reason behind the watering related to the handling of corruption cases that he handled.

"And I make sure and can almost confirm with the facts that I conveyed during the examination process. That this (attack) is related to my duty to eradicate corruption," he said.

His conviction on the motive behind the case was based on the results of investigations by several agencies including the Police. Which at that time resulted in an indication of his assault in connection with six high profile cases.

At the end of his statement, Novel also said that the disclosure of the watering case was very important. Given that the attacks on KPK members did not only happen to him. Instead, to several other people who are handling corruption cases.

"I want to remind you one thing, that the attack on me is part of other attacks on KPK people who have been mentioned by colleagues at the KPK, more than 10 cases. Of course this illustrates that the attacks were related to duty at the KPK, "said Novel.