Akbar says he has been fooled in Bulog scandal

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Akbar Tandjung, the high-profile key suspect in a Rp 40 billion scandal, said on Monday that he had been made a fool by a recent turn of events in the case.

"It's clear (that I've been fooled), because I know absolutely nothing about the funds being returned," House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who is now in detention, was quoted as saying by Agung Laksono on Monday.

Akbar was referring to some of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) money, which was returned to the Attorney General's Office last week.

Laksono, a senior leader in the Golkar party which Akbar led, was visiting Akbar at the Attorney General's Office, where he has been held since last Thursday.

The case took a bizarre turn on Saturday when the office announced that one of the suspects in the case, Winfried Simatupang, returned Rp 32.5 billion of the allegedly stolen funds "in installments several days ago".

The scandal revolves around then president B.J. Habibie's policy to disburse Rp 54.6 billion of the Bulog money to finance several programs during the prolonged economic crisis in 1999 when Akbar was a Cabinet minister and state secretary.

Investigators said that Winfried had retracted his earlier statements in which he said the money was used to finance the government's project for the poor by distributing 1.6 million food packages in five provinces of Java in 1999.

It is not clear how or why Winfried returned the money on an installment basis as the suspect previously told investigators that the funds were all drawn from one account and that they had always been there.

Winfried's lawyer said that his client transferred the money on eight occasions.

"The first payment was made on Feb. 26, when Winfried handed over Rp 8 billion, while the latest payment of Rp 5 billion was made on March 7, the night he was taken into custody," lawyer Sabar Ompusunggu told The Jakarta Post.

He said his client was asked by the Attorney General's Office not to make the payments public for the sake of the investigation.

Attorney General's Office spokesman Barman Zahir said the money would be used as evidence but the fact that the money had been returned would not alter the case against Akbar.

Winfried and another suspect Dadang Sukandar head the Raudlatul Jannah Foundation, which executed the humanitarian project.

Former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan is in Cipinang detention, East Jakarta, pending prosecution on charges of alleged abuse of power with the disbursement of the funds.

The Attorney General's Office shortened on Monday visiting hours for his friends and supporters.

"Guests can only visit on Monday and Wednesday this week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with approval. Family members are an exception," spokesman Barman said.

However, many Golkar leaders were seen visiting Akbar, who was accompanied by wife Krisnina Maharani late in the afternoon.

For five days, Akbar has become the number one draw in the Attorney General's Office compound. Visitors continue streaming in until late in the evening, with some even spending the night in the compound.

Barman said the office had yet to respond to Akbar's application for a suspension of his detention.

Akbar's lawyers have threatened to file a pretrial lawsuit against their client's detention.

Barman said the investigation was about to end and would move to the prosecution stage next week.