Bob Hasan's trial takes new turn<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The multimillion dollar graft trial of timber
\nbaron Mohamad \"Bob\" Hasan took an unexpected turn on Monday as a
\nwitness, at the risk of becoming a suspect, refused to take
\nresponsibility for the disbursement of US$87 million in
\nreforestation funds.<\/p>\n
\"It was not my sole responsibility (which led to the
\ndisbursement of the funds). It was a decision by the entire
\nproject evaluation team of the ministry,\" former director-general
\nof forestry planning at the forestry ministry, Sumahadi, told the
\nCentral Jakarta District Court, presided over by Judge Subardi.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi was referring to a July 1996 mapping project awarded
\nby the ministry to the defendant's company, PT Mapindo Parama
\n(MP).<\/p>\n
The one-year project, worth $87 million, involved the taking
\nof aerial photographs of 30.6 million hectares of protected
\nforests nationwide.<\/p>\n
The problem revolves around old aerial photographs, dating
\nback to 1992, of two million hectares of the total 30.6 million.<\/p>\n
\"You knew that if you accepted those old photos, the ministry
\nhad to pay for them. You were chief of the photograph evaluation
\nteam and you recommended those photos to the ministry's (then)
\nsecretary-general, Oetomo. And Oetomo disbursed the funds. Why
\ndid you recommend the photographs?\" Subardi asked.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi said that even if it were old photographs received by
\nthe ministry from PT MP for the 1996 project, the payment of $87
\nmillion was justified.<\/p>\n
\"Technically, the old aerial photographs were good and could
\nstill be used,\" Sumahadi told the hearing.<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Judge Subardi shouted: \"Going by the money you
\npaid, it is not justified!\"<\/p>\n
The judge's response was cheered by the audience, who
\npatiently listened to Sumahadi for two hours defending Hasan's PT
\nMP.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have charged defendant Hasan with defrauding the
\nstate of $75.62 million and the Indonesian Forest Concessionaires
\nAssociation (APHI) of another $168 million, through a fraudulent
\naerial mapping project.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi admitted on Monday that after receiving the old
\nphotographs, he issued a decree in September 1996 which gave him
\nfull authority to use the photographs as he pleased.<\/p>\n
He also admitted that he had written to the National
\nCoordinating Agency for Survey and Mapping recommending PT MP for
\nthe 1996 project.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, I wrote to the agency to ask if PT MP was qualified for
\nthe project, and if it did, to recommend PT MP to the ministry of
\nforestry,\" Sumahadi said at the hearing.<\/p>\n
In the first minutes of his testimony, Sumahadi told the
\nhearing that he had accepted the old photographs based on a
\nministerial decree stating that photographs of forest concessions
\nwere valid for use for four years, and those of protected forests
\nwere valid for an even longer period.<\/p>\n
When Subardi asked him which year the decree was issued,
\nSumahadi said \"about 1994 or 1995\".<\/p>\n
Subardi asked him why the ministry had not anticipated being
\ngiven old photographs.<\/p>\n
\"You know about this ministerial decree ... didn't it ever
\noccur to ministry officials that if you are given old photos, PT
\nMP's workload would be lighter since it would take fewer
\nphotographs. Less work, means less pay ... don't you think?\"
\nSubardi asked.<\/p>\n
Sumahadi answered: \"Old photographs are not necessarily
\ncheaper than new ones.\"<\/p>\n
Subardi asked the witness if he had ever written to PT MP
\nadvising it to present the Directorate General of Forestry
\nPlanning with old photographs. Sumahadi answered in the negative.<\/p>\n
Again Subardi said: \"First, there was no open tender for this
\nproject. You say the (former) minister of forestry (Djamaluddin)
\nwanted PT MP to get the project. You pay PT MP so much ... so why
\ndid you accept the old photos?\"<\/p>\n
\"Those photographs were still good, Your Honor,\" Sumahadi
\nanswered.<\/p>\n
Hearing this, Subardi asked: \"You then issued a decree in
\nSeptember 1996 legalizing the usage of photos before 1996 ...
\nwhat are you ... a shareholder of PT MP?\"<\/p>\n
Sumahadi said replied that he was not.<\/p>\n
\"You say that new photos could not be taken in 1996 and 1997
\nsince a major portion of Kalimantan had forest fires and the
\nsmoke would get in the way ... but MP used 'airborne radar' which
\ncould have easily overcome that,\" Subardi said.<\/p>\n
\"Had MP given back a portion of the $87 million for giving the
\nministry old photos, there would be no problem. But you accepted
\nthose old photos, and paid in full.\" (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bob-hasans-trial-takes-new-turn-1447893297",
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