Prosecutors seek eight years for Abdullah Puteh<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have demanded an eight years term of imprisonment and
\na Rp 500 million (US$53,673) fine for Abdullah Puteh, the
\nsuspended Aceh governor, who is on trial on corruption charges
\nrelated to the purchase of a Russian-made MI-2 helicopter.<\/p>\n
Three prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission
\n(KPK) on Monday took turns in reading out a 237-page indictment
\nin the Anticorruption Court, Central Jakarta, saying that they
\nhad proven the defendant guilty of an attempt to amass personal
\nwealth.<\/p>\n
They said Puteh intended to amass wealth for himself by
\nputting money belonging to the provincial government into his
\npersonal account, arguing that it was to speed up a helicopter
\npurchase transaction.<\/p>\n
"Your Honor, the defendant carried out the crime in a conflict
\narea. He perpetrated the crime while the central government was
\nseriously trying to curb rampant corruption in the country and he
\ndamaged the image of the civil service," chief prosecutor Khaidir
\nRamli said.<\/p>\n
Puteh has been charged with marking up the price of a Russian
\nhelicopter he purchased on behalf of the provincial
\nadministration, that caused losses to the state of at least Rp 10
\nbillion (US$1.1 million).<\/p>\n
Apart from demanding eight years imprisonment and a Rp 500
\nmillion fine or an additional six months in prison, the
\nprosecutors also asked judges to order Puteh to recompense the
\nstate Rp 10 billion to cover state losses within one month of the
\ncourt announcing its verdict. In the event that the defendant was
\nunable to pay, his punishment should be extended by an additional
\nyear in jail.<\/p>\n
The State Audit Agency (BPK) has said that Puteh caused Rp
\n13.6 billion in losses to the state, but that he had returned Rp
\n3.6 billion of the money to the Aceh provincial treasury before
\nthe trial began.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors charged Puteh with violating Article 2 and 3 of
\nLaw No.31\/1999 on anticorruption, which carries a maximum
\nsentence of 20 years, or a Rp 1 billion fine.<\/p>\n
Yessi Esmiralda, one of the prosecutors, said that eight years
\nwas being demanded because of mitigating factors, such as the
\nfact that Puteh had served as a government official since 1967.<\/p>\n
Puteh was also accused of misusing his power by cutting Rp 700
\nmillion from the budgets of 13 cities and regencies. Of the Rp
\n12.6 billion used to buy the chopper, Rp 9.1 billion came from
\ncity and regency budgets and Rp 3.5 billion from the provincial
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
Puteh later responded as he was being taken out of the
\ncourtroom, saying he felt disappointed that the prosecutors had
\n"misunderstood the facts and testimony" given at the trial.<\/p>\n
"It is clear that the prosecutors do not understand how the
\nprovincial administration and private companies cooperate," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
The courtroom was thronged with members of the Indonesian
\nNational Youth Committee (KNPI), the Batavia Communication Forum
\n(Forkabi), and several Acehnese living in Jakarta, all of whom
\nvoiced their support for Puteh.<\/p>\n
"We are here to give moral support to Bang Puteh because he
\nled KNPI in the 1980's," said a man wearing the organization's
\nofficial blue jacket. (006)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prosecutors-seek-eight-years-for-abdullah-puteh-1447893297",
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