In bizarre twist, Prabowo ally Kivlan Zen seeks protection from Indonesian official he is accused of plotting to kill

The retired general has asked Security Minister Wiranto and Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu for legal protection and a suspension of his detention

Wiranto is among four of President Joko Widodo’s top officials that Kivlan allegedly ordered hitmen to assassinate in a plot linked to the Jakarta riots

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Indonesian riot police officers guard the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) in Jakarta on May 24. Losing presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto has been implicated in a plot to kill four of President Joko Widodo’s top officials. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:00am, 14 Jun 2019Updated: 7:08am, 14 Jun 2019

Kivlan Zen, the retired two-star general implicated in the organisation of a plot to kill Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s top officials, is now seeking protection from one of his alleged targets, Security Minister Wiranto.

Kivlan, a former member of the elite Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad), is accused of ordering hitmen to kill Wiranto, maritime minister Luhut Pandjaitan, National Intelligence Agency chief Budi Gunawan and presidential intelligence adviser Gories Mere.

We are seeking legal protection from Pak Wiranto … because Pak Kivlan has been criminalised by the police

Tonin Singarimbun, Kivlan Zen’s lawyer

The assassination plot is linked to the violent demonstrations on May 21-22 that erupted soon after the announcement of the presidential election results, which saw Widodo winning with 55.5 per cent of the vote.

His challenger Prabowo Subianto has alleged that the election was rigged in a lawsuit lodged with the Constitutional Court, which will convene on Friday.

In a bizarre development, Kivlan wrote letters to Wiranto and Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu – the commander of Indonesia’s special forces, Kopassus – seeking legal protection and pleading for his detention to be suspended.

“We are seeking legal protection from Pak Wiranto … because Pak Kivlan has been criminalised by the police. We reject all accusations from suspects who say that he ordered the assassination of four national figures,” said Tonin Singarimbun, Kivlan’s lawyer, to the South China Morning Post.

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