Lawyers proclaim Djoko's innocence<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Defense attorneys of Djoko S. Tjandra, the main
\ndefendant in the high-profile Bank Bali scandal, insisted on
\nMonday that their client had not caused any loss to the state as
\nthe Rp 546 billion (US$61.3 million) commission for PT Era Giat
\nPrima (EGP) was the bank's own money.<\/p>\n
Reading out a 1,000-page written rebuttal to the 18-month jail
\nterm earlier sought by prosecutor Antashari Azhari for Djoko, the
\nteam of eight defense attorneys, led by O.C. Kaligis, described
\nthe jail term sought as outrageous.<\/p>\n
"The money received by PT EGP from Bank Bali is purely the
\nbank's money and to date is still in PT EGP's account in Bank
\nBali and has not been recouped by the state. Not even one rupiah
\nbelonging to the state has been squandered," one of the eight
\nlawyers said at a South Jakarta District Court hearing, presided
\nover by judge Soedarto.<\/p>\n
"The prosecution has failed to prove in court that the
\ndefendant has caused loss to the state. Therefore, the Rp 546
\nbillion rightfully belongs to the defendant and should be
\nreturned to him."<\/p>\n
Djoko, the director of trading and investment at PT EGP, is
\naccused of being involved in the disbursement of Bank Bali's
\ninterbank loans from closed bank BDNI, an action that caused
\nlosses to the state.<\/p>\n
Bank Bali then paid a Rp 546 billion commission to PT EGP for
\nthe firm's assistance in recouping the interbank loans, which it
\nnever did.<\/p>\n
Antashari has charged that the defendant violated Paragraph 1a
\nof Article 1 of the 1971 Corruption Law.<\/p>\n
"He deserves a jail term of one year and six months, and
\nshould pay the maximum fine of Rp 30 million," prosecutor
\nAntashari Azhari said at a previous court hearing on Monday of
\nlast week.<\/p>\n
Article 1 of Law No. 3\/1971 carries a maximum life sentence
\nand a fine of Rp 30 million.<\/p>\n
The scandal originated from the failure of three private banks
\n-- Bank BDNI, Bank Tiara and Bank Umum Nasional -- to repay a
\ntotal of Rp 904 billion to Bank Bali, a debt which remained
\noutstanding when the three of them were closed by the Central
\nBank in late 1998, due to poor financial record-keeping.<\/p>\n
A verification by the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency
\n(IBRA) resulted in the disbursement of Rp 904 billion in payment
\nto Bank Bali, which verification had reportedly been based on
\nprudential principles and verification conducted jointly with
\nBank Indonesia (the Central Bank).<\/p>\n
Judge Soedarto adjourned the next hearing to next Monday, when
\nAntashari will reply to the rebuttals by the defendant's team of
\nlawyers. (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lawyers-proclaim-djokos-innocence-1447893297",
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