Nuriana grilled over alleged graft<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The West Java Provincial Prosecutors' Office
\nstarted questioning governor R. Nuriana on Friday over alleged
\ncorruption involving a total of more than Rp 38 billion in state
\nfunds.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor for special crime Mohamad Amary told reporters that
\nthe governor was interrogated over several embezzlement cases,
\nincluding street illumination taxes, the purchase of tents for
\nofficial ceremonies, the exchange of the province's assets and
\nthe building of Al-Ihsan Foundation Hospital.<\/p>\n
But during closed-door questioning which lasted three and a
\nhalf hours, the interrogators questioned him over two cases, the
\nstreet illumination taxes and the purchase of tenders.<\/p>\n
\"Questioning over three other cases will take place between
\nJan. 23 and Feb. 3,\" said Amary.<\/p>\n
\"We are now questioning him as a witness, but if we find legal
\nevidence of his involvement in these cases, it is possible for
\nhim to be questioned as a suspect,\" Amary said.<\/p>\n
According to Amary the street illumination tax case involved a
\ntotal of Rp 38.2 billion, while the purchase of tenders involved
\nonly Rp 254 million.<\/p>\n
The first group of prosecutors, led by prosecutor Romli Achfa
\nasked Nuriana 52 questions regarding the illumination taxes,
\nwhile another team led by prosecutor Wahyu Wiriadinata asked
\nNuriana 19 questions regarding the purchase of tenders.<\/p>\n
The 1962 graduate of the then National Military Academy,
\nNuriana, was accompanied by Eha Djulaeha, the head of the legal
\ndepartment at the gubernatorial office.<\/p>\n
The Prosecutors' Office had been waiting for President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid's approval to question the governor. The
\nPresident issued the approval only on Jan. 17, 2001.<\/p>\n
Amary said that all the questions were focused on Nuriana's
\npolicies on the alleged swindles.<\/p>\n
According to the prosecutor, the money collected from the
\nstreet illumination taxes between 1992-1996 had been improperly
\nused, instead of being deposited in the provincial account. While
\nin 1997, the governor allegedly appointed a certain firm to
\nsupply the tenders for official ceremonies. \"An open tender
\nshould have been offered to the public for such a costly
\nproject,\" said Amary said.<\/p>\n
So far, as many as eight former West Java administration
\nofficials have been named suspects in alleged corruption cases.
\nOne of the suspects is former deputy governor Ukman Sutaryan.
\n(25\/sur)<\/p>",
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