All witnesses have to testify before the court
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)