Police detains top Freeport official

A top executive at gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia, Stanley Batey (53 years old) has been detained by the Mimika police in Papua province over alleged harassment against a local tribe leader, the Koran Tempo daily reported on Tuesday. The paper quoted Mimika police chief Paulus Waterpauw as saying that detention was made on Saturday after Bernadus Mifaro (41 years old) reported Batey to the police.

According to the report, the attack on Bernadus happened at Batey's office when the former was going to submit a proposal to the latter. Batey asked Bernadus to wait outside the office as he was still on the phone. But Bernadus decided to come in, angering the Britishmen. According to Bernadus, Batey attacked him and strangled his neck, which caused bruises.

Police then interviewed four witnesses including Maria Mifaro (wife of Bernadus), Mrs Rawu (an associate), local security guard, and another man by the name of HS Tinggapi which tried to stop the attack.

The paper quoted Paulus as saying that the police decided to put Batey in detention on fear that he would run away. The suspect could face the risk of a 3-month nearly 3-year jail term or a fine Rp 300,000 if found guilty by the court.

Freeport Indonesia corporate office Mindo Pangaribuan confirmed that Batey had been detained by the police, saying that Freeport official had followed the legal procedure when he was summoned by the police. He added that Freeport had assigned two lawyers to the case.(*)