Ramelan named suspect in Rp 54b Bulog scandal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office on Monday named
\nformer State Logistics Agency (Bulog) chief Rahardi Ramelan as a
\nsuspect in a case involving the swindling of Rp 54 billion (some
\nUS$4.7 million) of the agency's non-budgetary funds.<\/p>\n
Spokesman Muljohardjo revealed at a press briefing that
\nRahardi, who also served as minister of industry and trade during
\nthe 16-month administration of President B.J. Habibie, had abused
\nhis power between 1998 and 1999 by ordering Bulog's finance
\ndeputy to disburse the money.<\/p>\n
"The suspect ordered the disbursement to procure goods in
\norder to stabilize prices, build stores and buy equipment, but
\nthere was no accountability for the use of the funds,"
\nMuljohardjo said during the media conference which he attended
\nalong with acting Attorney General Soeparman.<\/p>\n
Muljohardjo added that state prosecutors were still
\ninvestigating the whereabouts of the money. The spokesman,
\nhowever, did not give the name of Rahardi's deputy.<\/p>\n
Soeparman, who is also assistant attorney general, pointed out
\nthat his office had summoned Rahardi and asked him to report
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
Rahardi's whereabouts, however, are still not clear. According
\nto some media reports, he is currently living and studying
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
Apart from Rahardi, Soeparman also disclosed the results of an
\ninvestigation into four cases involving the misuse of the
\nequivalent of billions of U.S. dollars of state liquidity support
\nfunds for 48 now-defunct commercial banks.<\/p>\n
The state prosecutors have completed the books of evidence on
\ntwo other suspects in the PT Bank Harapan Sentosa case, namely
\nthe bank's commissioner Eko Edi Putranto and director Sherly
\nKonjongian. The amount of alleged losses to the state has not
\nbeen disclosed.<\/p>\n
The main defendant in the case, bank owner Hendra Rahardja, is
\nstill facing extradition proceedings in Australia.<\/p>\n
Muljohardjo said that the three other cases were now being
\ninvestigated further as there was sufficient evidence to warrant
\nthis. They are the cases of PT Bank Umum Nasional (BUN), PT Bank
\nUmum Servitia and PT Bank Modern.<\/p>\n
He explained that BUN's former director Leonard Tanubrata and
\nformer deputy chief commissioner Kaharuddin Ongko, along with its
\nchief commissioner Mohamad "Bob" Hasan, had misdirected the
\nliquidity support funds.<\/p>\n
In the period between Nov. 17, 1997 and April 3, 1998, the
\nbank incurred debts of Rp 1.2 trillion. It also received Rp 2
\nbillion in loans from Bank Indonesia on condition that the money
\nwas not to be used for expanding credit, lending to affiliated
\nbusiness groups or foreign exchange speculation.<\/p>\n
"But the three broke the agreements which they signed in the
\nform of a notarial deed. As an example, they extended loans to
\ntheir affiliate PT Landasan Teru Sentosa amounting to Rp 9.4
\nbillion," Muljohardjo said.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors are also ready to take proceedings against
\nServitia's former director David Nusa Wijaya for misusing Rp 988
\nbillion, and Modern's chief commissioner Samadikun Hartono, who
\nwas accused of causing Rp 80 billion in losses to the state.<\/p>\n
The other suspect from Servitia, the bank's operational
\nexecutive Wuryatin Nusa, is still at large.<\/p>\n
The liquidity support scandal has resulted in a total of Rp
\n138.4 trillion ($12 billion) in state losses. (bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ramelan-named-suspect-in-rp-54b-bulog-scandal-1447893297",
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