Ginandjar to enter detention house<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office on Saturday issued
\nan arrest warrant for former minister of mines and energy
\nGinandjar Kartasasmita to prevent him from escaping the probe
\ninto a US$24.8 million corruption scandal.<\/p>\n
Sudibyo Saleh, the case's chief investigator, told The Jakarta
\nPost by phone that he read the warrant (issued by Deputy Attorney
\nGeneral for special crimes Bachtiar Fachri Nasution) at the
\nPertamina Hospital on Saturday.<\/p>\n
"The suspect (Ginandjar) will be arrested for a 20-day period,
\nwhich will take effect from the day he recovers from his illness.
\nAnd the detention could be extended if needed by the
\nprosecution," he said.<\/p>\n
Sudibyo said Ginandjar's arrest needed no special permission
\nfrom Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Widodo A.S. as the
\nmilitary leadership has entrusted all matters of the
\ninvestigation to the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
"Ginandjar's lawyers could oppose the arrest but they should
\ncomply with the procedures stipulated in Law No. 3\/1971 on
\ncorruption," he said.<\/p>\n
The law stipulates that the trial for a military defendant,
\nknown as a connection trial, will be held at a district court
\nwith combined judges from the military and the court. Meanwhile,
\nthe attorney general will act as a coordinating investigator.<\/p>\n
The issuance of the arrest warrant followed an order from
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid to the attorney general on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar, a retired three-star Air Force general who is now
\ndeputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly, is alleged
\nto have had a role in a graft case involving state oil and gas
\ncompany Pertamina and a local partner PT Ustraindo Petro Gas,
\ncausing US$24.8 million in losses to the state.<\/p>\n
Investigators have said that Pertamina had, while Ginandjar
\nwas minister of mines and energy, paid the costs of oil
\ndevelopment incurred by Ustraindo in four oil fields, although
\nthe contracts required the company to cover the expenses. The
\nstate lost $18 million.<\/p>\n
The government and Pertamina later amended the production-
\nsharing contracts with Ustraindo, resulting in a smaller
\ngovernment oil take, causing another $6.8 million in losses to
\nthe state.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar, his successor I.B. Sudjana, former Pertamina
\npresident Faisal Abda'oe, and Ustraindo's president Praptono H.
\nUpojo have been declared as suspects in the case.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Muchyar Yara, a member of Ginandjar's legal defense
\nteam told the Post that they rejected their client's arrest and
\nwould file a lawsuit against it, calling the move unlawful.<\/p>\n
"The Attorney General's Office has no authority to arrest our
\nclient because it has not secured any permission from the
\nmilitary leadership," he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, TNI spokesman Rear Marshal Graito Usodo said the
\nmilitary headquarters had no objections to the investigation as
\nlong as it was held in accordance with the law.<\/p>\n
"TNI expects this case will not be manipulated as a political
\ncommodity," he said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
He asked the Attorney General's Office to coordinate with the
\nmilitary prosecutors in conducting the investigation, citing that
\nthe case should be tried jointly. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ginandjar-to-enter-detention-house-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}