Assessed By Politicians, The Summons Of Simultaneous 176 Village Heads In Karanganyar By The Central Java Police Is Questioned

Chairman of the Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) Sugeng Teguh Santoso at the Polda Metro Jaya Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (9/8/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) questioned the request for information simultaneously against 176 village heads in Karanganyar by the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the Central Java Police.

The reason is, this is the first time that the regional police have summoned 176 village heads in Central Java in connection with village fund accountability.

"Moreover, this summons ahead of the 2024 General Election and the three districts in Central Java that were targeted for examination were PDIP voice bags. It is feared that there will be a political assessment in the examination by the Central Java Police," said IPW Chairman Sugeng Teguh Santoso in his statement, Tuesday, November 28.

The examination of village heads in Karanganyar Regency, which began on Monday to Wednesday, raises speculation and questions.

"We suspect that there are political motives or possible criminal acts that are wanted to be exposed. Examination of alleged corruption can put psychological pressure on the village head being examined," said Sugeng.

Another striking oddity is that the notification letter regarding the alleged crime committed by the village head was not immediately conveyed to the person concerned.

On the other hand, the Central Java Police's Ditreskrimsus sent a letter to the Head of the Karanganyar Regency Community and Village Empowerment Service (Dispermasdes) number B/Und-2038/XI/RES.3.1./2023 dated November 16, 2023, containing requests for information and documents.

After receiving the letter, the head of the office immediately issued a letter to the sub-district heads to inform the village heads to attend the clarification of the Central Java Police Ditreskrimsus.

The sub-district heads also sent a similar letter to the village head to fulfill the invitation to investigate by the Central Java Police Ditreskrimsus.

IPW criticized the summons of 176 village heads in Karanganyar Regency, stating that this was suspected of violating Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning the National Police and Police Regulation Number 7 of 2022 concerning the Professional Code of Ethics and the Police Code of Ethics Commission, which emphasized that members of the National Police must act professionally, according to procedures, and proportionately.

IPW menekankan bahwa pemanggilan seharusnya dilakukan secara individual terhadap orang yang menjabat sebagai kepala desa untuk pertanggungan terkait dugaan pidana," katanya

"If indeed all village heads in Karanganyar Regency are involved, inspections should be carried out individually and not simultaneously on the same day," Sugeng added.

In this regard, IPW appealed to the Central Java Police to postpone the investigation into the alleged corruption of village funds against the 176 village heads until February 2024.

This was done so that the order of the National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo regarding the neutrality of the National Police in the 2024 General Election could be implemented.