Authorities tasked thousands of police and military personnel to provide security yesterday for a trial involving former president Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, as tensions in the capital remained high over allegations that top officers had been involved in intercepting the current president’s telephone conversations.
Three senior generals have already been detained in the wiretapping scandal, including General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who had been named chief of staff to President Prabowo Subianto last month.
Listyo previously served as national police chief under Jokowi, though the former president has not been implicated in the wiretapping investigation.
In addition to Prabowo, there are allegations that Cabinet officials, politicians, journalists, civil society leaders and business executives were also subjected to unauthorised surveillance.
After losing two presidential races to Jokowi, Prabowo aligned himself with the popular leader and campaigned as his successor, choosing Jokowi’s son as his running mate in a move that fuelled concerns about a growing political dynasty in Indonesia’s 25-year-old democracy.
Jokowi and Prabowo were once close political allies, with Joko backing Prabowo’s successful 2024 presidential bid. But their relationship has come under scrutiny amid signs of a growing rift since Prabowo took office.
Retired police General Oegroseno, a former deputy national police chief, told the Forum Keadilan TV podcast on Wednesday that investigators should examine all possible lines of command behind the wiretapping, including whether any directives originated from Jokowi.
“Investigators should not hesitate to question a former president if necessary,” he said.
“The motive behind the alleged wiretapping operation must be fully uncovered under the leadership of the current police chief.”
Police allege the unauthorised wiretapping took place between 2025 and 2026, after Prabowo had been elected and while Listyo was still national police chief.
National Police Legal Division head Inspector General Ahrie Sonta Nasution and Inspector General Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute, were also detained.
Since arresting the generals, authorities have called over 20,000 troops to Jakarta, and yesterday said 6,770 police and military personnel had been deployed to secure Jokowi’s hearing.
Jokowi was called to testify in a defamation trial stemming from allegations he used a fake university diploma. The trial is unrelated to the current wiretapping case.
As he arrived in the morning at the East Jakarta District Court, Jokowi was welcomed by hundreds of his supporters who chanted messages of encouragement as he entered the building.
The presidential palace has said the wiretaps were being considered an “act of treason” that endangered state interests, but has not linked the deployment of troops to Jakarta to the case. — AP
