Govt to auction smuggled sugar<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri finally issued on Monday a
\ngovernment decree that allows some 73,000 tons of illegal sugar,
\nbelonging to the Confederation of Primary Cooperatives
\nAssociation (Inkud), to be auctioned.<\/p>\n
Separately, the South Jakarta District Court declared unlawful
\non the same day the police's arrest of Abdul Waris Halid -- a
\nsuspect in the illegal sugar smuggling scandal that involved his
\nelder brother Nurdin Halid, who is also chairman of Inkud.<\/p>\n
Megawati's decision came after comments from National Police
\nchief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar last week that the police could not
\nstore the staggering amount of sugar as evidence, for fear that
\nit would spoil. Thus, he said, it would be more profitable for
\nthe government to auction it.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-
\nJakti said, after a limited Cabinet meeting, that the government
\nhad not set a time yet for the auction as it was awaiting the
\ncourt's decision.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Industry and Trade would be held responsible
\nfor the auction after clearance from the court was issued, said
\nDorodjatun.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the arrest of Abdul was declared unlawful on the
\ngrounds that police personnel had breached the law during the
\narrest, particularly the law on customs and excise.<\/p>\n
Judge Effendi, who presided over the trial, said that the body
\nthat was authorized to handle the case and arrest the suspect was
\nthe Customs and Excise Directorate General, not the police.<\/p>\n
The verdict has altered the course that the investigation of
\nAbdul will take. If law enforcers intend to press ahead with the
\ncase, the Customs and Excise Directorate General must produce
\nstrong evidence that Abdul was involved in the smuggling. Only
\nbased on that report, could police or prosecutors build a case
\nagainst him.<\/p>\n
Following the verdict, Abdul's lawyer Edison Petaubun demanded
\nthat his client be released from detention.<\/p>\n
Abdul, who is now hospitalized at the Police Hospital in
\nKramat Jati, East Jakarta, had filed a lawsuit against the police
\nover his detention early this month.<\/p>\n
The National Police will continue questioning other suspects
\nin the illegal sugar smuggling case, including Nurdin Halid and
\nRaja Baneerje, the president director of sugar exporter PT
\nPhoenix.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-to-auction-smuggled-sugar-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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