Sidiq gets 3 months for extortion<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The head of the Al-Tauhid Islamic boarding school in
\nKediri, East Java, Abdullah Sidiq Muin, was sentenced to three
\nmonths imprisonment by the Central Jakarta District Court on
\nTuesday after he was found guilty of swindling former president
\nSoeharto's son Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra to the tune of Rp 2.9
\nbillion (US$341,177).<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Saparudin Hasibuan, who read out the court's
\nverdict, said that Sidiq was guilty of cheating Tommy by
\npromising him a presidential pardon from then president
\nAbdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid. Sidiq was helped by Raden Dodi
\nSumadi, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.<\/p>\n
Sidiq had been detained from Jan. 26 to March 5 and now only
\nneeded to serve less than a month in prison. He was allowed out
\nof prison on March 5 due to ill health.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Budi Santosa said that his client would likely appeal.
\nHe said there were no conclusive evidence supporting the charge.<\/p>\n
During the trial, prosecutors only showed a photocopy of an
\nagreement dated Oct. 19, 2000, to divide the Rp 15 billion paid
\nby Tommy into four equal parts. The prosecutors failed to show
\nthe original agreement, which, Budi said, was against a legal
\nprecedent from 1976 ruling that a photocopy could not be treated
\nas original evidence.<\/p>\n
Budi also questioned the fact that only four witnesses
\ntestified during the trial instead of the planned 16. -- JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sidiq-gets-3-months-for-extortion-1447893297",
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