By Ainur Romah
JAKARTA
Indonesian police have released the deputy head of the country's top anti-corruption body from custody following his arrest on charges of giving false testimony.
Bambang Widjojanto left the national police office accompanied by his lawyer early Saturday, greeted as he emerged by hundreds of anti-corruption activists who had been gathering since his arrest Friday morning.
Analysts have condemned the arrest, Oce Madril, a researcher at the Center for the Study of Anti-Corruption, telling The Anadolu Agency on Friday that it suggested a reactivation of a rivalry between the country's main law enforcement bodies.
Widjojanto was taken into custody ten days after his Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Lt. Gen. Budi Gunawan -- the presidential nominee for national police chief -- as a suspect in a bribery case.
The KPK has been investigating $4.3 million in Gunawan's bank accounts, and Widjojanto and commission head Abraham Samad have claimed to have evidence it may be related to bribes.
Kompas.com reported Widjojanto as saying Saturday that he was threatened by police as they arrested him.
"As I was explaining to my son about the error of the arrest, one investigator said to me 'do you have any plasters?'," he said, referring to the adjudged threat as "terrorism."
Police on Friday accused Widjojanto of allegedly instructing witnesses to giving false testimony at a Constitutional Court hearing into an election dispute in West Kotawaringin regency in 2010 when he was a lawyer.
A spokesman told reporters that the charge was based on the results of an investigation based on three pieces of valid evidence, including testimony from witnesses, documents and expert testimony.
Inspector General Ronny F Sompie said Saturday that Widjojanto was not kept in detention because he was cooperative during the investigation process.
"He is willing to be called at any time for further examination," the police spokesperson said, according to Kompas.com, adding that legal proceedings are continuing.
President Joko Widodo has asked the police and the commission to ensure that the legal process is objective and in accordance with the existing legislation.
"I also asked, as head of state, that there be no friction between the police institution and the KPK in carrying out their respective duties," he told reporters Friday.
In 2012, Detective chief Comr. Gen. Susno Duaji coined the phrase "cicak lawan buaya" to insult KPK leaders who he saw as small geckos for daring to take on the police whom he likened to crocodiles. He predicted a grim fate for the little lizard.
Madril told AA on Friday that recent arrests were "a model case of gecko versus crocodile."
"We condemn these actions," he added.
