Beddu, Ricardo tried in Goro corruption case<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Before a packed public gallery, former chairman
\nof the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Beddu Amang and a senior
\nexecutive of wholesaler PT Goro Batara Sakti were indicted on
\nMonday in a multibillion rupiah corruption case.<\/p>\n
Private television station ANteve broadcast live the separate
\nsessions of Beddu and Ricardo Gelael at the South Jakarta
\nDistrict Court. Both men appeared composed during the
\nproceedings.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Samsoeddin A.B. -- who was notable for
\nrepeatedly smiling during Beddu's trial -- banged his gavel to
\nstart the session at 10 a.m.<\/p>\n
He immediately invited dozens of press photographers to take
\npictures.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is not only Beddu, we all want to have our
\npictures taken. So I'll give you three minutes.\"<\/p>\n
Seated facing the judge, Beddu turned his chair toward the
\nphotographers and waved as the blitz of camera flashes lit up the
\ncourtroom.<\/p>\n
Wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt and black pants, Beddu then
\nlistened as the indictment was read by prosecutor R. Soehardjono.<\/p>\n
Soehardjono said Beddu conspired with Ricardo and former
\npresident Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra in
\na corrupt land scheme which caused state losses of Rp 95.4
\nbillion (US$11 million) between Feb. 17, 1995, and May 4, 1998.<\/p>\n
He said Beddu signed a memorandum of understanding with Tommy,
\nin his capacity as president of private firm PT Sekar Artha
\nSentosa, for a land exchange involving a Bulog plot and
\nwarehouses in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The agreement was signed at Bulog's office on Jl. Gatot
\nSubroto, South Jakarta, on Feb. 17, one day after Beddu was
\ninaugurated Bulog chief, he said.<\/p>\n
The agreement stated Tommy would provide a 125-hectare plot in
\nexchange for the 50-hectare warehousing complex. He was also
\nresponsible for handling all land certificate processing.<\/p>\n
Beddu had justified the transaction on grounds the warehouse
\ncomplex located near the Kelapa Gading housing complex was no
\nlonger feasible.<\/p>\n
Soehardjono said Beddu sent a letter to then finance minister
\nMari'e Muhammad, stating the warehouse complex would be exchanged
\nfor 150 hectares in Marunda, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said the defendant, in another letter to the minister,
\nstated that Soeharto requested the execution of the land exchange
\nwith Goro, in which Tommy also held shares.<\/p>\n
He said the state losses included a loan of Rp 20 billion.<\/p>\n
He said Tommy and Ricardo secured the loan from Bank Bukopin
\nwith a guarantee of a Rp 23 billion cash deposit from Bulog.<\/p>\n
The loan was used to buy part of the Marunda land which
\nbelonged to businessman Hokiarto, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Since Tommy, Ricardo or Goro could not return the loan, the
\nbank seized the deposit.\"<\/p>\n
According to Soehardjono, Beddu bought another part of the
\nMarunda land with Rp 32 billion which should have been provided
\nby Goro.<\/p>\n
He said Tommy and Ricardo also demolished 11 warehouses in
\nKelapa Gading which were worth Rp 7 billion.<\/p>\n
He said the state also suffered losses of Rp 23 billion
\nbecause Goro built on eight hectares of state land without
\nproviding anything in return to Bulog.<\/p>\n
Soehardjono charged Beddu under Article 1 (a) of the
\nCorruption Law No. 3\/1971, which carries a maximum penalty of a
\nlife sentence and\/or Rp 30 million fine.<\/p>\n
In a separate courtroom, prosecutor D. Munthe read a similar
\nindictment against Ricardo.<\/p>\n
He was also charged under the same article of the corruption
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
Beddu was accompanied by five noted lawyers, including Amir
\nSyamsuddin and M. Assegaf. Ricardo's 10-member team of attorneys
\nincluded O.C. Kaligis and John Walerry.<\/p>\n
Defense lawyers for the two men asked for the charges to be
\ndropped because they argued it was a civil case.<\/p>\n
\"The losses, if they happened, should be handled as a civil
\ncase. Moreover, the new Bulog chief (Rahardi Ramelan) canceled
\nthe agreement,\" Amir said.<\/p>\n
He said a new deal between the Bulog chief and the new
\npresident of Goro stated revised rental prices for Bulog
\nwarehouses.<\/p>\n
Samsoeddin adjourned the trial until next week to hear the
\nprosecutors' statements.<\/p>\n
Tommy's indictment is scheduled to be heard in the court next
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office has barred Tommy, Beddu and
\nRicardo from traveling outside the city. (jun)<\/p>",
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