Witness denies knowledge of plan to cheat Tommy<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An aide to former president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid, Noer
\nMuhammad Iskandar SQ, testified at the Central Jakarta District
\nCourt on Friday that he knew little about an alleged scam
\ninvolving defendant Abdullah Sidiq Muin.<\/p>\n
Sidiq, the head of the At-Tauhid Islamic boarding school in
\nKediri, East Java, is on trial for swindling Rp 15 billion
\n(US$1.79 million) from Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, the son of
\nformer president Soeharto, in 2001.<\/p>\n
Noer, the head of the As-Sydiqiah Islamic boarding school in
\nKebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, and a member of the House of
\nRepresentatives, said Gus Dur was not involved in any scheme to
\ncharge Tommy Rp 15 billion for presidential clemency. Tommy had
\nbeen sentenced to 18 months in prison on corruption charges.<\/p>\n
\"In the first meeting at the Regent Hotel, Tommy said he was
\nwilling to help rebuild the country's economy if Gus Dur could
\ngive him clemency. Gus Dur refused and advised Tommy to follow
\nnormal legal procedures,\" Noer said.<\/p>\n
He said the meetings between Tommy and Gus Dur at the Regent
\nHotel and the Borobudur Hotel were initiated by Raden Dodi
\nSumadi, who Tommy has fingered as the real culprit in the case.<\/p>\n
Sidiq also allegedly acted to introduce and arrange the
\nmeetings between Tommy and Gus Dur.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know if Dodi demanded Tommy give him money for the
\nclemency,\" Noer said.<\/p>\n
Dodi has told police that he received Rp 15 billion from Tommy
\nand shared the money with others, including Noer. Dodi himself
\nfled and has not been seen since his dossier was submitted to
\nprosecutors.<\/p>\n
Dodi alleged that part of the money went to the Puan Amal
\nHayati Foundation, owned by Gus Dur's wife Sinta Nuriyah, Sidiq's
\nboarding school and to pay the expenses for the meetings.<\/p>\n
After Noer's testimony, Sidiq's defense team alleged that the
\nwitness withheld important information on Gus Dur's alleged
\ninvolvement in the matter.<\/p>\n
\"There are many inconsistencies between Noer's testimony and
\ninformation other witnesses gave to the police,\" lawyer Budi
\nSantoso said.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Saparudin Hasibuan adjourned the trial until
\nMarch 11, at which time the court is scheduled to hear from
\nadditional witnesses, including Tommy's elder sister Siti
\nHardiyanti \"Tutut\" Rukmana.<\/p>\n
Tutut, who was supposed to testify on at Sidiq's trial on
\nFriday, instead paid a visit to the Seroja housing complex in
\nBekasi regency that is home to retired soldiers who fought in
\nEast Timor in the 1970s. The presidential hopeful from the
\nConcern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) has been summoned
\nto testify three times, but has yet to appear.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/witness-denies-knowledge-of-plan-to-cheat-tommy-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}