Ten questioned in Peruri case<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
At least 10 people have been questioned as witness in an alleged
\nRp 2.3 billion (US$242 million) corruption scam at the state
\nsecurity printer, Peruri, a police officer said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The chief of the city police's special crimes unit, Sr. Comr.
\nSyahrul Mamma, said that among the witnesses were Peruri
\nemployees and officials from the Development Finance Comptroller
\n(BPKP).<\/p>\n
\"We have recently questioned three Peruri directors as
\nsuspects in the case ... We have found strong prima facie
\nevidence based on the interrogation. But we will continue to
\ngather more evidence and get more witnesses to complete the
\ninvestigation,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
The investigation started earlier this month with the police
\nnaming the company's president director, M. Koesnan Martono,
\nlogistics director Marlan Arif, and marketing director Suparman,
\nas suspects in the graft case.<\/p>\n
The police said that the three were involved in embezzling
\npart of the Rp 5.9 billion profit made by the company in
\n1999\/2000.<\/p>\n
Police investigators said that on the orders of then managing
\ndirector Suparman, Marlan Arif withdrew Rp 4.175 billion in July
\n2000 to be distributed among employees as a bonus and deposited
\nthe remaining Rp 1.7 billion in a bank account for the use of the
\ndirectors as an \"operational fund\".<\/p>\n
With interest, this sum grew to Rp 2.3 billion over three
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Last year, Koesnan ordered that the money be paid into the
\ncompany's social and education funds.<\/p>\n
It was claimed that the money would be used to build a mosque
\nand school, but police investigators discovered that these had
\nnever been built.<\/p>\n
The police said they would charge the suspects under Law No.
\n28\/1999 on corruption, which carries a maximum punishment of 12
\nyears in jail, as well as with embezzlement under Articles 372
\nand 374 of the Criminal Code, which provide for a maximum
\nsentence of five 0years in prison.<\/p>\n
Asked why the police had not immediately detained the three
\ndirectors, Syahrul said that more evidence was needed.<\/p>\n
\"We will wait until we make more progress in the
\ninvestigation. Right now, we are concentrating on gathering more
\nevidence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to the law, the police may detain a suspect if he or
\nshe is charged with an offense that carries five or more years in
\nprison, provided that they have reasonable grounds for believing
\nthat the suspect might abscond, tamper with evidence or attempt
\nto get at witnesses.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ten-questioned-in-peruri-case-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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