Kompolnas To Set Up Team Investigate Novel Case

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The National Commission of Police (Kompolnas) will appoint a team to probe into the case involving Police Commissioner Novel Baswedan, who has been assigned as an investigator at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"The National Commission of Police will conduct an investigation in order to determine whether the case has been handled professionally," Commissioner Edi Hasibuan said here on Tuesday.

"The commission will ask National Police Chief Timur Pradopo to sanction the police officials wishing to work on the case," he stated.

"From the very beginning, we have reckoned that the Novel case was not appropriately handled. But now our decision gives an impression that the police are forcing the issue," Edi said, adding that he would also support the move to stall the case in order to avoid public outrage.

Novel was accused of being responsible for a shooting incident in which his subordinates killed a suspect in Bengkulu in 2004.

Tensions have been rising between the KPK and the police over who should investigate the alleged corruption case involving the procurement of driving simulators by the former chief of the National Traffic Police Corps, Inspector General Djoko Susilo.(IGT)