Fraudsters avoids jail by fleeing prosecutors<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State prosecutors sent to execute the verdict of Bank Indonesia
\nLiquidity Support (BLBI) convict David Nusa Widjaja returned with
\nempty hands on Monday, as the businessman had fled.<\/p>\n
West Jakarta Prosecutor's Office chief Fahmi said prosecutors
\ndid not find David at home when they delivered a letter ordering
\nhim to serve his eight-year sentence.<\/p>\n
While admitting that it would take some time to locate David's
\nwhereabouts, Fahmi expressed optimism that the businessman,
\nformer owner of the now-defunct Bank Servitia, had not fled the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"We have put him on our wanted list. It will be hard for us to
\nlocate him, because we just received a copy of the verdict last
\nweek, while the Supreme Court convicted him last year. Our
\nprosecutors are now trying to trace him,\" Fahmi said.<\/p>\n
However, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza
\nMahendra said earlier that according to immigration records,
\nDavid had fled the country.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court sentenced David to eight years in prison and
\nfined him Rp 1.297 trillion (US$1.38 billion) to cover the losses
\nhe had inflicted on the state through his misuse of BLBI funds,
\nbut the Attorney General's Office apparently received the copy of
\nthe verdict only last week to forward to the local prosecutor's
\noffice.<\/p>\n
Fahmi offered no convincing proof of David's presence in the
\ncountry, claiming only that the businessman would not leave his
\nassets in Indonesia unattended.<\/p>\n
He declined to provide the value of David' assets, as
\nprosecutors were still calculating their worth.<\/p>\n
\"We will confiscate whatever assets he has as soon as possible
\nto recover state losses caused by his actions,\" said Fahmi.<\/p>\n
Analysts blamed the Supreme Court for its administrative flaw
\nthat contributed to David's escape, as the court verdict had been
\nhanded down on July 23, 2003, while the West Jakarta prosecutor's
\noffice received it on July 28, 2004.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court has admitted to administrative shortcomings
\nthat resulted in the gross delay in delivering a copy of the
\nfinal verdict on David to prosecutors for execution.<\/p>\n
Moegihardjo, who heads the court's administrative division for
\ncriminal cases, said the problem had arisen following the
\nreplacement of a number of court clerks and administrators,
\nincluding those who were responsible for David's files.<\/p>\n
According to the law, prosecutors can only execute a verdict
\nwhen they receive a copy from the issuing court.<\/p>\n
Fahmi said he had no clue as to David's possible whereabouts.<\/p>\n
The office was forced to release David upon the lack of a
\ndetention order from the court during the trial; he has been free
\nsince mid-2003.<\/p>\n
\"We have asked the immigration office to ban him from
\ntraveling abroad starting today,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fraudsters-avoids-jail-by-fleeing-prosecutors-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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