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