ICW sees political plot behind Ghalib case<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Antigraft activists are concerned over what they
\nbelieve is a high-level political conspiracy to freeze the
\ninvestigation into Andi M. Ghalib's alleged corruption and to
\nturn the table on whistle-blower Teten Masduki.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto of the independent Indonesian Corruption
\nWatch (ICW) cited how the Military Police Corps had not been
\nserious in investigating Ghalib, who was forced to step down from
\nthe position of attorney general following an uproar over the
\ncorruption allegation.<\/p>\n
Ghalib is an active lieutenant general.<\/p>\n
\"It would be possible to treat Ghalib as a suspect in the
\nalleged corruption case and to bring him to the military tribunal
\nonly if the Military Police Corps was serious in handling the
\ncase,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is the Military Police has yet to show that it
\nintends to solve the case thoroughly,\" he said in a hearing with
\nthe House Commission I for security and defense on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Instead, he said, the military police had summoned Teten and
\nasked him to sign a dossier which implicated him with slandering
\nGhalib.<\/p>\n
\"We believe the Military Police has created a scenario under
\nwhich it will freeze Ghalib's case and seek to trap Teten into a
\ndefamation case,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Teten, who also attended the hearing, revealed the Rp 9.2
\nbillion bank accounts had been drawn on and that Ghalib currently
\nhad a Rp 2 million deposit at Lippo Bank. He said the Military
\nPolice should treat Ghalib as a suspect to allow them to trace
\nthe bank accounts worth Rp 9 billion.<\/p>\n
\"The Military Police should investigate who transferred the
\nmoney and where it is now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bambang said both President B.J. Habibie and Minister of
\nDefense and Security\/Indonesian Military chief Gen. Wiranto had
\nnot pushed the Military Police Corps to investigate the alleged
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that despite the ICW's belief that its report on
\nthe alleged corruption was sufficient to prosecute Ghalib, a
\nreluctance to investigate the claims was maintained.<\/p>\n
However, the ICW was still willing to help the Military Police
\ncarry out the investigation, he said. \"It is not absolutely
\nnecessary for the Military Police to know (who our sources are)
\nor to obtain explanations from witnesses in the case.<\/p>\n
\"What's important is that the Military Police Corps should
\ninvestigate whether Ghalib was involved in the alleged corruption
\nor not.\"<\/p>\n
The ICW disclosed early in June that a total of Rp 9.2 billion
\nwas transferred to Ghalib's eleven bank accounts. It included Rp
\n450 billion transferred by noted businessmen The Nin King and
\nPrayogo Pangestu in April.<\/p>\n
The organization alleged Rp 1.8 billion was transferred to
\naccounts bearing the name of Ghalib and his wife, Andi Murniati.
\nTeten said 11 deposits were made to their accounts between Feb.
\n12 and May 16 at a private bank in South Jakarta. It said copies
\nof the transfers were mailed to the ICW office from an
\nunidentified party.<\/p>\n
Ghalib denied the allegation, saying the money was transferred
\nas donations to the Indonesian Wrestling Association (PGSI), a
\nbody which he chairs.<\/p>\n
Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Djasri Marin recently said
\nGhalib could not be treated as a suspect in the case because
\nthere was insufficient evidence to justify the move. He also said
\nTeten, who first revealed the alleged corruption, had declined to
\ngive a testimony.<\/p>\n
Teten said at Tuesday's meeting he was ready to testify under
\nthe condition that Ghalib officially be declared a suspect.<\/p>\n
\"However, according to ICW's law experts and my lawyers, I
\nhave no legal obligation to provide testimony in the case because
\nI did not see and hear about the alleged corruption... I only
\nreceived reports (about the alleged corruption).\"<\/p>\n
He backed Bambang's claim that the ICW data was accurate,
\nvalid evidence of the corruption, and was adequate for the
\nMilitary Police to launch an investigation.<\/p>\n
Aisyah Amini of the United Development Party (PPP) faction,
\nwho chaired the meeting, promised to discuss the Ghalib
\ncontroversy at her commission's hearing with acting Attorney
\nGeneral Ismoedjoko next week and Wiranto in August.(rms)<\/p>",
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