Government drops charge against Sofyan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's office on Tuesday dropped
\nthe graft charges against businessman Sofyan Wanandi, saying that
\nit had no proof to support the allegation.<\/p>\n
In a letter, a copy of which was distributed to the media, the
\nteam of investigators was ordered to stop the year-long
\ninvestigation because there were not enough grounds to continue
\nwith the prosecution.<\/p>\n
The letter was signed by officer Bisman Mannu on behalf of
\ndeputy attorney general for special crime.<\/p>\n
Sofyan called a media gathering on Tuesday to announce the
\ndecision, in order to clear his name, that he was no longer a
\nsuspect in a criminal investigation or was wanted by Interpol.<\/p>\n
The owner of the Gemala business group had been accused of
\nmisusing credit facilities totaling US$16 million which his
\ncompanies obtained from state banks BRI, BBD and BNI.<\/p>\n
He denied the allegation and accused then president B.J.
\nHabibie of fabricating the charges for political reasons.<\/p>\n
Sofyan failed to answer a series of summonses from the
\nAttorney General's office as he had been living in the United
\nStates, officially on medical grounds. He was then declared a
\nfugitive and the Habibie government had sought Interpol
\nassistance.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, he admitted publicly for the first time that the
\nreal reason for his staying out of the country was because he
\nfeared that he would not receive a fair trial.<\/p>\n
\"I refused to come home last year because I was scared. But
\nwith the formation of the new government, the law seems to have
\nbeen upheld properly,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sofyan returned to Indonesia on Oct. 22, two days after the
\nelection of President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the government's decision to drop the charges
\nagainst him had something to do with his friendship with
\nAbdurrahman, he said: \"They (Attorney General's Office) did not
\nknow of my close relationship with the President,\" he contended.
\n(04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-drops-charge-against-sofyan-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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