'Probosutedjo could be cleared of bribery'<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Businessman Probosutedjo could be cleared of bribery charges
\ndespite his confession to having paid bribes totaling Rp 16
\nbillion (US$1.6 million) to get an acquittal, according to a law
\nexpert.<\/p>\n
Such a clearance would be possible because Indonesia has
\nsigned the UN Convention Against Corruption, which states that a
\nreporting person deserves protection, criminal law expert from
\nUniversity of Indonesia Rudy Satrio said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Article 33 on protection of reporting persons and Article 37
\non cooperation with law enforcement authorities in the convention
\nstate that reporting persons should be provided with specific
\nhelp that may contribute to depriving offenders of the proceeds
\nof crime.<\/p>\n
Indonesia signed the convention on Dec. 18, 2003.<\/p>\n
Although the House of Representatives has yet to ratify the
\nconvention, 35 out of 113 signatories have ratified the
\nconvention, meaning that the convention comes into effect in
\nthose countries since it only needs at least 30 countries to make
\nit official.<\/p>\n
\"It is up to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to
\ngive a sentence cut or full acquittal to Probosutedjo since he
\nwas the one who reported the bribery to the commission,\" Rudy
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Probosutedjo, a half-brother of former president Soeharto, has
\nadmitted to giving his lawyer Rp 6 billion to bribe the Supreme
\nCourt chief and other court officials dealing with his appeal
\nagainst his conviction in the misuse of reforestation funds that
\ncaused Rp 100 billion in state losses.<\/p>\n
He was initially sentenced to four years in prison by the
\nCentral Jakarta District Court, but the sentence was later halved
\nby the Jakarta High Court.<\/p>\n
Probosutedjo, who is a director of PT Menara Hutan Buana, also
\nsaid he had previously disbursed Rp 10 billion for the judges,
\nprosecutors and officials of the two courts.<\/p>\n
He applied for protection from the KPK last month, saying he
\nfeared for his safety as he had received threats after reporting
\nthe bribery to KPK, which later approved the request.<\/p>\n
The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) is among those demanding
\nthat Probosutedjo be prosecuted, citing his insincere motive
\nbecause he reported to the KPK only after his attempt failed.<\/p>\n
But Rudy said the KPK may consider Probosutedjo cooperative
\nwith law enforcers and therefore clear him from all bribery
\ncharges.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, he spent his own money, so there were no losses
\nincurred by the state,\" Rudy said.<\/p>\n
KPK investigators have arrested Probosutedjo's lawyer, Harini
\nWijoso, and five officials of the Supreme Court for their alleged
\ninvolvement in verdict-buying. The KPK also confiscated some
\nUS$400,000 and Rp 800 million, which is believed would have been
\nused to ensure he won his appeal.<\/p>\n
\"Even though he may be protected in the bribery case, he still
\ncan't escape from the other graft case (reforestation funds
\nembezzlement),\" Rudy said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Attorney General's Office (AGO) spokesman Masyudi
\nRidwan said the deputy attorney general for supervision had
\nsummoned Probosutedjo for a second time after he failed to turn
\nup after the first summons due to a KPK summons. The meeting is
\nscheduled for next week.<\/p>\n
The questioning has been arranged to clarify Probosutedjo's
\nstatement that he also bribed prosecutors.<\/p>\n
The office earlier questioned four of the six prosecutors
\nhandling Probosutedjo's case, who denied receiving money from the
\nbusinessman, Masyudi said.<\/p>\n
He added that the AGO had extended Probosutedjo's travel ban
\nfor another year due to his graft case. The ban will expire in
\nOctober 2006.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/probosutedjo-could-be-cleared-of-bribery-1447893297",
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