JawaPos.com – Commander of the Fleet Command (Pangkoarmada) I Rear Admiral TNI Arsyad Abdullah was saddened by the news that TNI AL officers asked for a bribe of Rp. 5.4 billion to free MT Nord Joy. So far there is no evidence that any Indonesian Navy personnel are playing games with the ship’s legal process.
Arsyad said the captain of the ship also confirmed that certain people were not asked for a sum of money. However, Koarmada I remains open to public complaints if the alleged negotiations are true.
“However, if the accusations are not true, then it is tantamount to defamation of the Indonesian Navy institution as a symbol of the state, and legal action will be considered for this action,” Arsyad told reporters, Friday (10/6).
Arsyad said investigators had submitted the SPDP to the Batam District Attorney for the case. Investigators are still waiting for the complete file (P21), to then hand over the suspect and evidence before the trial.
“Regarding the growing issue that TNI AL officers asked for a sum of money to release the ship, that is not true, because I am the Commander of the First Military Command who has the right to give instructions to release the ship, it is impossible to release the ship, because there is sufficient evidence for legal proceedings, so We will monitor MT Nord Joy’s legal process until we get a court decision, so there is no true negotiation,” he stressed.
Previously, a Navy officer was accused of asking for USD 375,000 or Rp. 5.4 billion to free a tanker named hull Nord Joy. The Panamanian-flagged ship is currently being processed by the Indonesian Navy. The reason is, the ship docked in Indonesian waters without a permit. The news was also responded by the Indonesian Navy Headquarters (Mabesal). They confirmed that the accusations were untrue.
This information was delivered directly by Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Wakasal) Vice Admiral TNI Ahmadi Heri Purwono. “It has been investigated, it is a hoax. What is clear is that the ship is still under investigation,” said Heri after closing the 2022 Naval Chiefs of Staff (KSAL) Women’s Volleyball Tournament at Headquarters, East Jakarta, Friday (10/6). ). To solve this problem, the Indonesian Navy has sent the Commander of the Fleet Command (Koarmada) I to Tanjung Pinang.
The two-star high-ranking officer of the Indonesian Navy was asked to explain that the allegations were not true. “If (TNI AL officers) asked for bribes, they would have been released (the Nord Joy ship). Nothing happened,” Ahmadi said. The ship is still being investigated and used as evidence by the Indonesian Navy. What is clear is that the evidence for the crime is being investigated in Tanjung Pinang,” he added