Court to proceed with Tommy's corruption case<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A panel of judges at the South Jakarta District
\nCourt on Monday decided to proceed with the indictment of Hutomo
\n\"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former president
\nSoeharto, for his alleged role in a Rp 95.4 billion (US$10.9
\nmillion) land scam.<\/p>\n
Some expected the case to be dismissed after a different panel
\nof judges at the court ruled last week to drop the indictment
\nagainst Beddu Amang, former chief of the State Logistics Agency
\n(Bulog), another suspect in the alleged scam.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge R. Soenarto told the court on Monday that the
\nprosecutor's indictment of Tommy was \"clear, accurate and
\ncomplete\", as required by Article 143 (2) of the Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
He ruled the court rejected the defense lawyers' request for
\ndismissal.<\/p>\n
\"Concerning the lawyers' statement that the case is a purely
\ncivil case, it will be examined in ensuing sessions,\" Soenarto
\nsaid in the session, broadcast live by private television station
\nANteve.<\/p>\n
Most of Tommy's dozens of supporters in the courtroom jeered
\nthe judge's announcement.<\/p>\n
The supporters earlier chanted \"Long live Tommy, long live
\nTommy\" as the former president commissioner of wholesaler PT Goro
\nBatara Sakti entered the court at 10 a.m.<\/p>\n
Attired in his customary trial outfit of yellow batik shirt
\nand black pants, Tommy answered the greeting by smiling and
\nwaving before sitting in the defendant's chair.<\/p>\n
The supporters irked Soenarto by clapping as he read the
\nprovisional decision.<\/p>\n
He banged his gavel on the table and ordered them to be quiet.<\/p>\n
\"You're not allowed to clap your hands and make noise here,\"
\nSoenarto said.<\/p>\n
Tommy's lawyer M. Dault said he would appeal the provisional
\ndecision to the Jakarta High Court.<\/p>\n
Dault said the prosecutors should present Bulog's new chief
\nRahardi Ramelan to testify as a witness in the next session.<\/p>\n
\"Although the court decided to proceed with the trial, it
\ndoesn't mean that Mas (brother) Tommy is already guilty,\" he said
\noutside the court.<\/p>\n
\"We'll prove (his innocence) in the next sessions.\"<\/p>\n
Not Rahardi<\/p>\n
Separately, prosecutor Fachmi said he would present witnesses
\nfrom Bulog, but not Rahardi.<\/p>\n
\"Rahardi is not included on our list of witnesses. Let the
\nlawyers summon the new Bulog chief to testify to help lighten the
\ncharge,\" Fachmi said.<\/p>\n
Soenarto adjourned the trial until next week to hear
\nwitnesses' testimony.<\/p>\n
When Tommy left the courtroom, his supporters -- mostly
\nyouths from Cikarang, Bekasi, and Mangga Besar in Central Jakarta
\n-- serenaded him with patriotic songs.<\/p>\n
Tommy's bodyguards and several supporters hastily encircled
\nthe businessman, famed for his intense media exposure during his
\nfather's rule, to block reporters from getting too close.<\/p>\n
He proceeded to his Timor jeep without commenting to the
\nmedia.<\/p>\n
In a separate courtroom at the district court on Monday, a
\nBulog executive testified in the trial of the other defendant in
\nthe land scam, businessman Ricardo Gelael.<\/p>\n
Called by the prosecution, Bulog's deputy chief in charge of
\nfinance, Ruskandar, surprised many by contradicting his
\nstatements from court dossiers.<\/p>\n
He testified the agency lost nothing in its cooperation with
\nGoro.<\/p>\n
His remarks drew smiles from the judges, prosecutors and
\nparticularly Ricardo's lawyers, led by O.C. Kaligis.<\/p>\n
In the dossiers, Ruskandar stated Bulog lost Rp 52 billion in
\nthe land exchange deal.<\/p>\n
On Monday, he insisted Goro used the agency's funds of Rp 52
\nbillion to buy a 65-hectare plot in Marunda, North Jakarta, which
\nhe said was later ceded to Bulog.<\/p>\n
\"So, the agency suffered no losses in the cooperation,\"
\nRuskandar told the court.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Jalius Amin adjourned Ricardo's trial until
\nMonday next week to hear witness testimony.<\/p>\n
Along with Beddu, Tommy and Ricardo were charged under Article
\n1 (a) of Corruption Law No. 3\/1971, which carries a maximum
\npenalty of life imprisonment or 20 years in jail and\/or a Rp 30
\nmillion fine.<\/p>\n
Beddu signed an agreement with Tommy in February 1995 for the
\nexchange of Bulog's 50-hectare warehouse complex in Kelapa
\nGading, North Jakarta, for 125 hectares of land in Marunda.<\/p>\n
The agreement was canceled by Rahardi Ramelan in March last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Rahardi has repeatedly said the agreement did not cause losses
\nto the agency.<\/p>\n
Last week, the court threw out the indictment against Beddu,
\nterming it unclear, inaccurate and incomplete.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Soehardjono accepted the decision but decided to
\nrenew the indictment. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/court-to-proceed-with-tommys-corruption-case-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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