Another poll commission member admits to accepting kickbacks
Another poll commission member admits to accepting kickbacks
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Like several other members of the General Elections Commission
(KPU), Daan Dimara admitted on Wednesday to receiving US$30,000
from companies that supplied poll materials to the national poll
body.
However, KPU treasurer Hamdani Amin earlier insisted that all
KPU members, including Daan, received $110,000 each, with the
funds being disbursed in April, June and December 2004
Testifying at the graft trial of Hamdani, who has been charged
with embezzling KPU's insurance and tactical funds, Daan denied
receiving $110,000 through the defendant.
"I received a total of only $30,000 that was paid in three
phases. I kept the money because the defendant (Hamdani) told me
that the money was from KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin. But I
returned it to the Anticorruption Commission (KPK) on June 7,
2004 after learning about the case through the media," Daan said.
He said he never asked Nazaruddin about the money after
receiving it from Hamdani.
Daan also said he knew nothing about the tactical funds
reportedly collected as kickbacks by the defendant from private
firms that won procurement projects from the KPU.
"I did not know whether the funds were taken from the state
budget or not," he argued.
Hearing the witness' complicated testimony and inconsistent
statements, the panel of judges, presided over by Kresna Menon,
rebuked Daan and reminded him he was under oath.
A judge asked Daan, a former assistant to the rector of the
University of Cenderawasih in Jayapura, Papua, as to why he
accepted the money but did not ask the KPU chairman about it.
The witness did not answer the judge's question.
Nazaruddin, who is also standing trial in the same case, has
admitted to accepting $44,900, while deputy KPU chairman Ramlan
Surbakti told the court last week that he got only $35,000.
Another KPU member, Rusadi Kantaprawira, said he received only
$7,800.
However, other KPU members, including current Minister of
Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin, have denied benefiting
from the tactical funds and said they had learned through media
reports that several KPU members had returned the money to KPK
investigators.
Part of the tactical funds was also reportedly given to other
KPU officials, including deputy secretary-general Sussongko
Suhardjo, who was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail for
his involvement in the graft case.
The judges adjourned the trial until Oct. 12 to hear from
witnesses testifying on behalf of Hamdani.