Justices named for top appeal trials<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court has named presiding justices
\nfor the trials to hear appeals sought by lawyers of former
\npresident Soeharto and his fugitive son Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala
\nPutra.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court's director for criminal cases, Djoko
\nSarwoko, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday Justice M. Syaifuddin
\nKartasasmita would preside over the panel of justices who would
\nhear an appeal against a High Court ruling to reopen the multi-
\nmillion dollar graft case involving Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Djoko said the panel would also comprise Sunuwahadi and
\nArtidjo Alkausar, one of 15 new justices installed last November.<\/p>\n
Syaifuddin headed the panel of justices which sentenced Tommy
\non Sept. 22 last year to an 18-month jail term and fined him Rp
\n30.7 billion (US$3.34 million) over a fraudulent land exchange
\ndeal.<\/p>\n
A lower court ruling exonerated Tommy of corruption charges in
\nthe deal between State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and PT Goro
\nBatara Sakti in which Tommy was a commissioner with 80 percent
\nshares.<\/p>\n
His partner in PT Goro, businessman Ricardo Gelael, was also
\nsentenced to 18 months in jail by the Supreme Court. Ricardo too
\nhas requested a presidential pardon.<\/p>\n
The new Supreme Court Deputy Chief Justice M.A. Taufik has
\nbeen picked to handle Tommy's appeal against the Supreme Court
\nverdict, along with panel members Suharto, who is Supreme Court
\nchief of written civil cases, and German Budiarto, Supreme Court
\nchief of military cases.<\/p>\n
Lawyers of Soeharto filed the Supreme Court appeal after the
\nJakarta High Court overturned on Nov. 8 last year the South
\nJakarta District Court's ruling to cease the corruption trial
\nagainst Soeharto on the grounds that state prosecutors failed to
\npresent the suspect three times in a row.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta High Court also ordered the resumption of
\nSoeharto's city arrest status.<\/p>\n
The now ailing Soeharto, 79, who resigned as president in May
\n1998, is accused of stealing $571 million from the state by
\nfunneling money from seven charity foundations he chaired into
\nbusinesses belonging to his family and cronies.<\/p>\n
Djoko said, however, the dates for the two appeal hearings
\nremained undecided. (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/justices-named-for-top-appeal-trials-1447893297",
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