Paskah has not been released: Cipinang penitentiary

Ina Parlina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 10/31/2011 2:55 PM

Despite earlier reports, Cipinang penitentiary says it has not yet released former national development planning minister Paskah Suzetta, on parole.

“No, he has not been released,” Cipinang penitentiary chief Suharman told reporters on Monday.

Suharman asserted that there was no connection to the recent moratorium on remissions and parole for corruption and terrorism convicts.

“We do not see the link,” he said. “We have definitely not put him on parole."

Paskah was sentenced to 16 months in prison in mid-June after being found guilty of accepting Rp 600 million (US$68,400) in the form of 12 travelers' checks that were allegedly paid to win Miranda Swaray Goeltom a Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor post in 2004.

Earlier it was reported that Paskah may soon be granted parole.

Jakarta Corruption Court also sent to prison four of Paskah's colleagues from the Golkar Party, who at that time were lawmakers and members of House of  Representatives Commission IX overseeing finance. They all were sentenced to 16 months in prison.

The lawmakers are Ahmad Hafiz Zawawi, Martin Bria Seran, Bobby Suhadirman and Anthony Zeidra.

The case has also imprisoned another 23 former lawmakers from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and the now-defunct army/police faction.

Four inmates escape Cipinang penitentiary

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 04/11/2011 1:41 PM | National

Four inmates escaped from Cipinang penitentiary at around 3 a.m. on Monday by climbing up an unguarded watchtower.

According to East Jakarta penitentiary chief at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Sihabudin, the watchtower was unguarded because of a shortage of staff.

“The post was unguarded because we are short of guards,” he said Monday.

The four inmates are Anang, who is serving an eight years’ imprisonment for his alleged violation of the women and child protection law; Iqbal, who is serving 17 years’ imprisonment for alleged murder; and Wahidin, who is serving 12 years in prison for alleged murder as well.

The fourth inmate, Herman, had previously escaped from the Palembang penitentiary, and was serving a three-year prison sentence for theft. He had been temporarily moved to Cipinang penitentiary before his verdict is fully implemented.

“But now, instead, he has escaped,” Sihabudin said, as reported by tempointeraktif.com.

He added that an investigation was underway to check whether the prison guards were involved.

“We are also investigating how the group escaped from their cells and where have they ran to,” he said.