REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Legal and Human Rights Affairs Ministry has relieved the warden of Purworejo prison in Central Java of duty following his arrest by the anti-narcotics agency for alleged involvement in a drug syndicate.

"CAS has been relieved of duty over his involvement in a drug syndicate, and we have appointed the Klaten prison warden as the acting warden (of the prison)," a spokesman of the ministry's Directorate General of Correctional Ade Kusmanto noted here on Wednesday while referring to the suspect identified by his initial CAS.

Kusmanto revealed that the suspect could be relieved of duty or dishonorably discharged.

"And legal penalty after the court proves him guilty," Kusmanto stated.

Kusmanto remarked that the ministry had yet to discharge CAS in honor of the presumption of innocence principle while awaiting the result of its investigation.

"We have declared a war against drugs. If any officials or members of staff are found to be involved in a drug syndicate, it is clear that they will face harsh administrative as well as criminal sanctions," Kusmanto noted.

The ministry's data showed that in 2017, some 18 jail officers were disrespectfully discharged for their involvement in drugs case.

Earlier on Monday, the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) had arrested CAS for his alleged involvement in operating a drug syndicate in the prison.

"CAS was arrested in Purworejo on Monday. The arrest was made in cooperation with the BNN central office," Head of the Central Java Provincial BNN Adjunct Senior Commissioner Suprinarto stated.

He was arrested for allegedly facilitating a prisoner Kristian Jaya Kusuma to run a drug business from the prison.

However, Suprinarto has yet to provide details on the arrest and any evidence of CAS' involvement in the syndicate.

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