Five-year jail term sought for Rahardi<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State prosecutors demanded on Tuesday a five-year prison term for
\nformer chief of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Rahardi
\nRamelan for alleged graft, ignoring public suspicion that there
\nwas a political aim behind the misuse of state funds.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors said Rahardi had abused his power by deciding
\nto funnel Rp 62.9 billion (US$6.98 million) of Bulog non-
\nbudgetary funds in 1999, an offense which could lead to a Rp 50
\nmillion fine or three months in jail, paying another Rp 22.9
\nbillion in compensation for the state's losses, or otherwise
\nspending an additional two years in jail.<\/p>\n
\"We have convincingly proved that the defendant had amassed
\nwealth for his own interests and others or for a particular
\ninstitution, had abused his power to do so and had inflicted
\nlosses to the state,\" chief prosecutor Kemas Yahya Rahman told
\nthe hearing presided over by judge Lalu Mariyun.<\/p>\n
The demand is heavier than the four-year imprisonment sought
\nfor House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who received
\nRp 40 billion of the funds.<\/p>\n
Akbar was found guilty of embezzling the funds and was
\nsentenced to three years in jail. Still a free man, Akbar has
\nfiled an appeal but there are calls for his resignation from both
\nthe House and some leading members of the Golkar Party he
\ncurrently chairs.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors found that Rahardi, during his tenure between
\n1998 and 1999, had channeled Rp 40 billion to Akbar for a charity
\nproject and Rp 10 billion to former defense minister Wiranto for
\nsecurity during the elections in 1999 as instructed by then
\npresident B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Within Rahardi's personal memos, another Rp 9.5 billion was
\nused for various reasons not concerning Bulog's tasks and
\nfunctions, such as to pay presidential guards, the athletes of
\nthe national swimming association he chaired, to build a Science
\nCenter, to cover the debts of retail chain Goro Batara Sakti,
\nowned by former ruler Soeharto's son Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala
\nSakti, and to finance seminars.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors failed to obtain documents on the use of the
\nremaining Rp 3.3 billion.<\/p>\n
They underlined Rahardi's refusal to wipe out non-budgetary
\nfunds and to record all transactions in a journal as advised by
\nthe Development and Finance Control Agency (BPKP).<\/p>\n
In a bizarre twist, the Rp 40 billion was returned to the
\nstate by Akbar's co-defendant Winfried Simatupang, and that event
\nwas soon followed by the prosecutors' statement that they had no
\nintention to find out where the money had been channeled.<\/p>\n
Rahardi's lawyer, Trimoelja D. Soerjadi, said the trial had
\nbeen contrived in such a way as to save Golkar, Akbar and
\nHabibie. Many believe the Rp 40 billion was used to bankroll the
\n1999 Golkar campaign.<\/p>\n
\"Habibie, Wiranto and others named as the receivers of the
\nmoney should also be charged if the prosecutors want to show some
\nconsistency,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors strengthened their arguments by using
\nstatements from expert Ali Hatomi, who said that even a president
\nhad no right to tell a Bulog chief to disburse the agency's funds
\nfor activities not related with the agency's interests.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors said that Rahardi's politeness in court was a
\nmitigating factor.<\/p>\n
\"However, the defendant failed to support the campaign for
\ngood governance without the use of corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism, and he failed to show remorse or be a role model for
\nsubordinates and the public.\"<\/p>\n
Rahardi, who was wearing a pale green suit, said he would
\nprepare his defense with his team of lawyers for the next hearing
\nslated for Oct. 22.<\/p>",
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