Prosecutors demand minimum sentence for Akbar<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
With merely circumstantial evidence in hand, prosecutors in
\nthe corruption trial of House Speaker Akbar Tandjung demanded on
\nWednesday a four-year jail term for the defendant for
\nmasterminding the scandal.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors said the court had heard too many lies as
\nAkbar and the other two defendants in the case had given \"shallow
\nand illogical statements\" during the trial, which had run for
\nthree months. Evidence that the defendants exploited the poor for
\ntheir own benefit had led the prosecutors to seek jail terms that
\nwere heavier than sentences handed down to those convicted in
\nother recent corruption cases.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors demanded three-and-a-half-year prison sentences
\nfor defendants Dadang Sukandar and Winfried Simatupang, including
\ntheir term of detention.<\/p>\n
Corruption carries a minimum sentence of four years in jail
\nand a maximum of 20 years according to the 2001 revision of the
\n1999 Anticorruption Law, although under extraordinary
\ncircumstances the crime carries the death penalty.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Fachmi insisted that Akbar had abused his power
\nwhile he was minister\/state secretary in 1999, which caused Rp 40
\nbillion in state losses.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors also demanded the three defendants pay a Rp 10
\nmillion fine each or serve a further three months in prison.<\/p>\n
\"We also ask the court to detain the defendants before issuing
\nthe verdict,\" Fachmi said.<\/p>\n
The case revolves around an order given by then president B.J.
\nHabibie to distribute food for the poor during the prolonged
\neconomic crisis in 1997.<\/p>\n
Akbar later appointed the Raudlatul Jannah Islamic Foundation,
\nwhich Dadang chairs, to channel the money that was taken from the
\nState Logistics Agency (Bulog) for the project. Winfried was
\nnamed the contractor. The project was found to be a scam
\nfollowing months of investigation, which began last year.<\/p>\n
Reading the charges in turn, the prosecutors underlined that,
\nexcept for Dadang and Winfried's statements, nobody else was able
\nto prove they had actually received the money.<\/p>\n
Winfried told the court he had kept Rp 40 billion in cash in
\nhis bedroom inside a filing cabinet. In the separate trial of
\nformer Bulog chairman Rahardi Ramelan, Winfried claimed he was
\nwilling to get Akbar out of trouble by returning the money.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors also said that Akbar's failure to hold an open
\ntender for the project and his refusal to sign any documents for
\nthe disbursement or the use of the money proved he was in
\npossession of the money.<\/p>\n
\"There are still unanswered questions on who disbursed the
\nmoney because all the names involved are fictitious,\" Fachmi told
\nthe court.<\/p>\n
Presiding Judge Amiruddin Zakaria adjourned the hearing until
\nJuly 31 to hear the defense.<\/p>\n
The verdict is expected to be issued in the second week of
\nAugust, when Akbar and other legislators are slated to convene
\nfor the People's Consultative Assembly Annual Session.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecutors-demand-minimum-sentence-for-akbar-1447893297",
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