Prosecution upbeat on Puteh case<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In an apparent show of confidence, prosecutors said on Tuesday
\nthey would not present more witnesses to testify in the graft
\ntrial of suspended Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh.<\/p>\n
\"We feel that the witnesses have given enough evidence against
\nthe defendant. Therefore, we do not need to summon other
\nwitnesses to testify,\" chief prosecutor Khaidir Ramli said after
\nWednesday's hearing.<\/p>\n
Of the 39 witnesses listed by the prosecutors for the Puteh
\ntrial, only 25 have testified before the Anticorruption Court in
\nJakarta, which is trying the case.<\/p>\n
Wisnu Broto, another prosecutor, told The Jakarta Post that
\nthe witness testimony given so far had clearly proved the
\ncorruption charges against Puteh.<\/p>\n
\"They have revealed the flow of money and the use of the
\ndefendant's personal account,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, Puteh's lawyer, Muhammad Assegaff, denied the
\nprosecutors' claims, saying that none of the witnesses had
\ntestified to the effect that Puteh was guilty of corruption.<\/p>\n
\"From the first to the last of the witnesses, there has been
\nnothing that has incriminated our client. Yes, there may have
\nbeen violations of the administrative procedures, but there have
\nbeen no indications that corruption has taken place.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, the Aceh legislative council accepted Puteh's
\naccountability report. So, where is the crime?\" argued Assegaff.<\/p>\n
Puteh is charged under the Anticorruption Law with unlawfully
\namassing wealth and could face a maximum sentence of life
\nimprisonment and\/or Rp 1 billion (US$111,000) fine if convicted.<\/p>\n
He allegedly marked up the price during the procurement of a
\nRussian-made helicopter for the Aceh administration in 2001,
\nthereby defrauding the state of some Rp 10 billion.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges adjourned Wednesday's hearing until
\nThursday after taking sworn evidence from two witnesses in
\nabsentia -- Tengku Johan, a consultant from the Air Force, and
\nMunawar, director of the procurement subdivision in the Aceh
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
During the hearing, the prosecutors told the court that they
\nwould only summon three experts to testify during the next
\nsession on Thursday. They are Sutrisno Hartono from state-owned
\naircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Adriansyah from
\nthe Ministry of Finance, and Handoyo Sudrajat from the
\nDevelopment Finance Comptroller (BPKP).<\/p>\n
Article 179 of the Criminal Law Procedures Code provides for
\nthe hearing of expert testimony.<\/p>\n
However, Puteh's lawyers rejected the prosecutors' plan to
\npresent the experts, saying the court should instead hear all of
\nthe 39 witnesses listed earlier by the prosecution.<\/p>\n
\"Your honor, we request that all the witnesses be summoned as
\nthe judges previously agreed,\" said Felix Tampubolon, one of
\nPuteh's lawyers.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Kresna Menon rebuffed the request, arguing
\nthat the decision whether or not to summon a witness was entirely
\nup to the prosecution.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecution-upbeat-on-puteh-case-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}