A spokesperson for East Nusa Tenggara Police told Anadolu Agency that they had interrogated the Indonesian captain, who claims he and his crew were paid a total of $31,000 by an Australian official.
"The captain admitted to being paid $6,000, while five other crew were each paid $5,000 to return the illegal immigrants back to Indonesia," local Deputy Chief Commissioner Ronalzie Agus said by phone from Rote island, where the 71 asylum-seekers and crew came ashore last month.
Agus said that Captain Yohanis Humiang had told his story while sitting at a table in front of stacks of U.S. dollar bills he claims came from an Australian official.
Humiang - wearing a black mask to disguise his face - said that he and the other crew were recruited in early April 2015 and also became victims of the smuggling syndicate.
"They were promised work on a fishing boat with the lure of Rp150 million ($1123)," said Agus.
Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, has rejected the accusations, suggesting Indonesia is to blame for initially failing to secure its borders, while Prime Minister Tony Abbott has refused to confirm or deny them, saying he does not comment on operational matters.
In response, Indonesia has pushed for answers, also releasing photos Wednesday of what it says is the $31,000....
www.aa.com.tr
17/6/15
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