Court may move Bob Hasan to Salemba Penitentiary<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court is
\nconsidering removal of timber tycoon Mohamad \"Bob\" Hasan, the
\ndefendant in a multimillion-dollar graft case, from his detention
\nat the Attorney General's office to the Salemba penitentiary for
\nhealth reasons.<\/p>\n
The proposal was raised by state prosecutors after Hasan
\ncomplained of a severe headache just before listening to the
\ntestimony of the fourth witness in Monday's hearing.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant did not appear in the past three court
\nsessions, because of illness. Today, he can't hear the fourth
\nwitness who came all the way from Bandung, West Java, to give
\ntestimony,\" prosecutor Arnold Angkouw told the hearing.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Subardi adjourned the hearing until Thursday
\nand promised to take the request into consideration.<\/p>\n
\"Prosecutors have said that at the Salemba Penitentiary, the
\ndefendant could get special medical treatment, something the
\ndefendant is obviously not getting at the detention center of the
\nAttorney General's Office,\" Subardi said.<\/p>\n
The delay means the fourth witness, B. Santoso, has to return
\nto Jakarta from Bandung at his own expense.<\/p>\n
Arnold suggested that it was best for the defendant to be
\ntransferred to the Salemba Penitentiary, where he could get
\nspecial medical treatment.<\/p>\n
\"I escorted the defendant to the Pertamina Hospital in South
\nJakarta recently and got him examined by neurologist Suryo
\nAtmodjo, who concluded that the defendant was alright except for
\nhis bent back, which could be related to his headaches and
\nvomiting.<\/p>\n
\"Otherwise in the coming hearings, he might not show up
\nagain ... and this could adversely affect this trial.\"<\/p>\n
Like Hasan, his golf buddy former president Soeharto escaped
\ntrial for corruption by not attending any of the three court
\nsessions at the South Jakarta District Court due to illness.<\/p>\n
The former president's defense lawyers have said their client
\nshould never have to face court again due to his permanent ill
\nhealth resulting from three strokes he has suffered.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta High Court overturned the ruling of the lower
\ncourt this month.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have charged defendant Hasan with defrauding the
\nstate of US$ 75.62 million, and the Indonesian Forest
\nConcessionaires Association (APHI) of another $168 million
\nthrough a fraudulent aerial mapping project. (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/court-may-move-bob-hasan-to-salemba-penitentiary-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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