Trial begins for ex-Aspac director<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court initiated on
\nMonday the corruption trial of the former director of credit at
\nBank Aspac.<\/p>\n
The charges involved the misallocation of Rp 583.4 billion
\n(US$63.4 million) of Government Liquidity Support (BLBI) funds
\nfor liquidated banks.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Soetantyo said defendant Hendrawan, 46, violated
\nArticle 1 of Law No. 3\/1971 on corruption. The Article carries a
\nmaximum punishment of life in prison.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant, between February 1998 and February 1999, along
\nwith then Bank Aspac president Setiawan Harjono, allegedly abused
\nhis authority to enrich himself or others at the expense of the
\nstate,\" he told the court hearing, presided over by judge Muchtar
\nRitonga.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor also accused Hendrawan of violating Article 49
\nof Law No.7\/1992 on banking. The Article carries a maximum
\nsentence of 15 years imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Soetantyo said Bank Aspac received Rp 583.4 billion from Bank
\nIndonesia in December 1997 as part of government liquidity
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
\"The money should have been used only to settle the bank's
\nliquidity problems, but not for other purposes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, after receiving the funds from the central bank,
\nHendrawan reportedly allocated some of the money to the bank's
\nforeign exchange trading activities and to finance the activities
\nof some corporations affiliated with Bank Aspac.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan, a high school graduate, lowered his head as the
\nprosecutor read out the indictment made against him.<\/p>\n
A team of five lawyers, led by B.E.D. Siregar of Bob Nasution
\n& Partners law office, said they would prepare a counterstatement
\nin response to the prosecutor's accusations.<\/p>\n
L.M.M. Samosir, one of the team's members, questioned the
\nprosecutor's motives in bringing the case to court.<\/p>\n
He quoted a statement by House of Representatives (DPR)
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung that the case would be settled through
\npolitical means, and not legally.<\/p>\n
\"So we don't know the prosecutor's motive in settling the case
\nthrough the courts,\" Samosir said.<\/p>\n
Bank Aspac's financial statement was first audited by the
\nSupreme Audit Agency (BPK) before the case was handed to the
\nHouse. The House then submitted the case to the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office for prosecution.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Soetantyo told The Jakarta Post after the hearing
\nthat main defendant Setiawan Harjono had yet to face charges
\nagainst him because he was being hospitalized at Mitra Keluarga
\nHospital in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Muchtar Ritonga adjourned the hearing until
\nnext Monday, when the court will hear the lawyers'
\ncounterstatement. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/trial-begins-for-ex-aspac-director-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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