All witnesses have to testify before the court
JAKARTA (JP): A noted lawyer said yesterday that all those interrogated by government prosecutors in connection with the Rp 1.3 trillion (US$620 million) loan scam at Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) have to testify before the court.
Hotma Sitompul, a lawyer for Bambang Kuntjoro, said that he will see to it that all those currently being detained for questioning will be called to the stand.
Hotma's remarks came amid public curiosity on whether chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency, J.B. Sumarlin and chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council Sudomo will testify in Court.
Sumarlin was Minister of Finance when the credit was given and Sudomo recommended Eddy as creditworthy to Bapindo.
The lawyer said his client cannot be held responsible for the extension of the credit, now overdue, as his client was a Bapindo director when the credit was extended in 1989.
Saying that there is a possibility of political power behind the credit scandal, Hotma said he will only handle the case based on the law, without caring about political implications.
Hotma said he does not know the total assets of his client or the charges against Bambang, nor does he know the losses inflicted upon the state by his client.
The lawyer told reporters that he could not comment much since the investigation of Bambang is still under way.
Five other suspects have been arrested by the Attorney General's Office. They are Eddy Tansil, the owner of Golden Key Group to whom $430 million in loans was extended, Subekti Ismaun and Towil Heryoto, both former Bapindo presidents, Sjahrizal, former president of Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) and Maman Suparman, former Bapindo Jakarta deputy manager.
Project values
Meanwhile Suhadibroto, deputy Attorney General for Civil and State Administration Crimes, said his office does not know the value of the Golden Key's projects or how much of the state's wealth can be recovered
"We can not say the total value of the projects is far below the total amount of loans Eddy has received just because the projects have not been completed," he added.
He also pointed out the importance of recovering state property immediately, as it is the country which will suffer most if Golden Key's projects remain abandoned.
Suhadibroto said his office has not taken concrete action to recover Tansil's debts because the case involves other departments such as the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Finance and the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
He said the Attorney General's Office only forwards alternatives to the authorized parties.
Government officials have made strong assurances that they will take all steps necessary to see that the debts, in the forms of bankers acceptances to foreign banks, are paid on time, arguing that non-payment of the important international banking instruments could cause the nation's credit rating to plummet.
Some $350 million of the debt mature this month and the government has been considering various ways of raising money to bail out Bapindo, which is technically broke. (02)