Three years sought for Sussongko<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Prosecutors recommended on Monday that acting secretary-general
\nof the General Elections Commission (KPU) Sussongko Suhardjo be
\nimprisoned for three years and fined Rp 50 million (US$5000) for
\nbribery.<\/p>\n
He is charged with involvement in an attempt to bribe an
\nofficial of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) with Rp 300 million,
\nin order to influence the results of its audit on KPU funds used
\nfor last year's general elections.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant has been proven to have committed corruption,
\nviolating Chapter 5 of Law No. 31\/1999 and Law No. 20\/2001 on
\ncorruption,\" prosecutor Catharina M. Girsang told the trial at
\nthe Anticorruption Court in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Muhibuddin and Riyono, two other prosecutors, said there were
\nseveral incriminating facts in the defendant's role in bribing
\nBPK auditor Khairiansyah Salman over alleged irregularities in
\nthe KPU's ballot box project.<\/p>\n
Muhibuddin said Sussongko knew and agreed to give Rp 300
\nmillion to Khairiansyah who audited the project.<\/p>\n
Besides approving the bribe attempt, the defendant also
\ncontributed Rp 150 million of a total of Rp 300 million handed
\nover to the auditor in the form of four cheques for Rp 25 million
\neach and Rp 50 million in cash, Muhibuddin added.<\/p>\n
\"The money were given to Khairiansyah on April 3 and April 8,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Muhibuddin said Sussongko attended a meeting with
\nKhairiansyah, KPU member Mulyana Wira Kusumah, the main suspect
\nin the bribery case, and KPU staffer Mubari at Borobudur Hotel on
\nMarch 10, 2005.<\/p>\n
Sussongko's lawyer Budiman Paningkas said the recommended
\nsentence was too high and that it was unfair since the
\nprosecutors sought three years for the main suspect, Mulyana.<\/p>\n
Budiman said the recommended sentence for his client should be
\nlighter than that of Mulyana, arguing that there was no evidence
\nthat Sussongko was involved in planning to bribe the BPK.<\/p>\n
Under the Anticorruption Law, the defendant could face a
\nmaximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp
\n250 million.<\/p>\n
In a separate court hearing on Monday, lawyers for Mulyana
\nurged the panel of judges to reject the bribery charges against
\nhim, claiming that his client was merely a victim of a conspiracy
\nbetween the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and
\nKhairiansyah.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant Mulyana had no intention of paying a bribe but
\nhe was led into a trap,\" his lawyer Erick S. Paat said.<\/p>\n
He said Mulyana had pledged nothing to the BPK auditor and
\nthat the KPK had \"conspired\" with Khairiansyah to trap his client
\nby making an appointment with Mulyana for the handover of the
\nfund.<\/p>\n
Erick told the court to punish Khairiansyah for breaching the
\nauditors' oath of office when he received facilities in auditing
\nthe KPU funds.<\/p>\n
In his own defense plea, Mulyana denied he was the \"main
\nactor\" in the bribery case, saying that KPU Chairman Nazaruddin
\nwas also to blame.<\/p>\n
Nazaruddin is also being tried in a separate graft trial
\ninvolving Rp 14 billion in a kickback from PT Asuransi Umum Bumi
\nPutra Muda 1967. He allegedly approved an insurance scheme with
\nthe company for all KPU members and staffers during the 2004
\ngeneral elections.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/three-years-sought-for-sussongko-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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