Puteh continues to deny markup<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Abdullah Puteh, the suspended governor of tsunami-ravaged Aceh
\ncurrently on trial for graft in the purchase of a Russian-made
\nchopper, rejected on Monday all charges against him as legally
\nbaseless.<\/p>\n
\"The accusation by Erry Riyana of the Corruption Eradication
\nCommission (KPK) that I marked up the price of the helicopter has
\nnot been brought up in court,\" Puteh said.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the investigation into Puteh, the KPK alleged that
\nhe marked up the price of the MI-2 helicopter to Rp 12.6 billion
\n(US$1.3 million), pointing out that the Navy had bought a similar
\nchopper for only Rp 6 billion.<\/p>\n
But KPK prosecutors have not mentioned during the trial how
\nmuch the Aceh administration should have paid for the chopper.<\/p>\n
\"It was not mentioned at all in the indictment against me,\"
\nPuteh told the Anticorruption Court.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors charged Puteh with violating purchasing
\nprocedures by depositing Rp 4 billion from the Aceh provincial
\nadministration, which he said was a down payment for the chopper,
\nin his personal account.<\/p>\n
The prosecution demanded that the Anticorruption Court jail
\nPuteh for eight years and fine him Rp 500 million, or add six
\nmonths to his prison sentence, and that he be ordered to repay Rp
\n10.6 billion to the state for losses incurred.<\/p>\n
In response, the 56-year-old defendant said the prosecution
\nfailed to note the contents of the contract between the Aceh
\nadministration and the Russian manufacturer, which stipulated
\nthat the first payment was only 30 percent, the Rp 4 billion.<\/p>\n
\"It was the same amount as transferred to my (personal)
\naccount,\" Puteh said.<\/p>\n
After 45 minutes of reading out his defense plea, Puteh
\nabruptly asked that the hearing be suspended for 10 minutes to
\ngive him time to rest. Puteh had not returned to the stand by the
\ntime the judges were ready to resume the hearing.<\/p>\n
\"Your honor, after considering the physical condition of the
\ndefendant, who could not even walk to this courtroom, I suggest
\nyou consider adjourning this session,\" chief prosecutor Khaidir
\nRamly told the judges.<\/p>\n
A doctor from the nearby MMC Hospital was called into the
\ndefendant's waiting room and confirmed that Puteh's blood
\npressure was high and recommended that the defendant be given
\ntime to rest.<\/p>\n
Chief judge Kresna Menon eventually adjourned the trial until
\nThursday to continue hearing Puteh's defense plea.<\/p>\n
Outside the courtroom, about 200 of Puteh's supporters, who
\nclaimed to be members of the Merah Putih legion, staged a rally
\nto give moral support to the suspended governor.<\/p>\n
They sang national songs and accused the authorities of
\nengineering Puteh's graft trial, saying the case was not meant to
\nuphold justice but was merely a political showdown. (006)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/puteh-continues-to-deny-markup-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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