AGO mulls in absentia trial for tycoon

AGO mulls in absentia trial for tycoon

Attorney General M.A. Rachman indicated on Monday his office
might try the case against business magnate Sjamsul Nursalim in
an in absentia trial soon as they had given up on efforts to
bring the corruption suspect back home for prosecution.

Rachman said that his office was still trying to bring back
Sjamsul from his Singapore -- reportedly there seeking "medical
treatment." Nevertheless, if that failed, he said his office
would present Sjamsuls dossiers to the court for an in absentia
trial.

"There is evidence that he is a non-cooperative debtor, so
maybe, we will pursue an in absentia trial," he said, referring
to the decision of the Financial Sector Policy Committee that
classified Sjamsul as a non-cooperative state debtor.

Sjamsul, former director of the now defunct Bank Dagang Negara
Indonesia, is alleged to have misused Rp 10.9 trillion (US$1.2
billion at the current rate) of state emergency loans extended to
the bank between 1997 and 1999 to finance his personal businesses
under the Gadjah Tunggal Group.

The bank received some Rp 37 trillion in Bank Indonesia
liquidity assistance (BLBI) to help cope with massive bank runs
during the height of the economic crisis.

Sjamsul fled to Singapore last year to have a heart problem
treated soon after he was released from detention as a suspect.

In the absence of an extradition treaty with Singapore,
Indonesia can not demand Singapore to return Sjamsul.

In an effort to bring Sjamsul home, Indonesian Interpol
secretary Brig. Gen. Dadang Garnida has advised Rachman to form a
medical team to go to Singapore and convince Sjamsul's doctors
that excellent treatment would be assured here.

Rachman said his office was still awaiting Singapore's
approval before sending the medical team. --JP