Bambang questioned over Kanindotex case
Bambang questioned over Kanindotex case
JAKARTA (JP): National Police detectives questioned former
president Soeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo on Friday in
connection with the acquisition of the assets of textile company
Kanindotex.
Soeharto family lawyer Juan Felix Tampubolon insisted on
Friday that Bambang was questioned only as a witness in the case.
"I answered all the questions the police asked. They concerned
Kanindotex," Bambang, who was accompanied by two of his
bodyguards, told reporters before leaving the National Police
Headquarters at 11:30 a.m. after nearly three hours of
questioning.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf confirmed
Bambang's status as a witness in the criminal case recently filed
by Robby Tjahyadi, former president director of Kanindotex,
against Bambang's associate Johannes Kotjo.
Bambang won a civil lawsuit, filed by Robby in December 1999
against the former.
The suit surrounded events following Robby's attempts to repay
his debts to Bapindo Bank by selling the textile holding
company's assets in 1995.
Through business associate Johannes Kotjo, a consortium led by
Bambang took over the debt-ridden company. However, Robby claimed
he had not received "compensation" from Bambang.
Bambang's consortium held 90 percent of the company's shares,
while the rest was awarded to 100 cooperatives.
In the consortium, Bambang Trihatmodjo owned 70 percent of the
stakes; Bambang Yoga Soegama, the son of a former chief of the
national intelligence agency, 10 percent; Johannes Kotjo, a
former executive of Salim Group, 10 percent; and Wisnu
Srihardono, 10 percent.
Kanindotex was eventually taken over by Johannes Kotjo, Juan
said on Friday.
"Johannes took over Kanindotex before 2000, but I don't
remember exactly when. That's why Robby filed the police report
against Johannes. Johannes is the suspect and my client is only a
witness," Juan said, adding that his client does not hold any
shares in Kanindotex anymore.
Kanindotex's bad debts became public in 1994 after a House
committee investigation, led by the then Golkar legislator
Bambang Warih Koesoemo, revealed that Robby failed to honor his
debts to two state banks.
The Kanindotex Group' subsidiaries, PT Kanindo Prima Perkasa,
PT Kanindo Success Textile and PT Kanindo Mulia Utama -- all in
Central Java -- employ more than 10,000 workers.
Separately, four colleagues of fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala
Putra, who is Bambang's sibling, were grilled on Friday at the
city police headquarters.
Without identifying the four men, city police chief of
detectives Sr. Comr. Harry Montolalu said police tracked down the
men by tracing their telephone numbers from their frequent calls
made to Tommy's cellphone.
"We have not got anything significant yet. One of the four men
is Tommy's driver," Harry told reporters on Friday.
The 38-year-old billionaire businessman has been on the run
since last November, after being sentenced by the Supreme Court
last September to 18 months in jail for corruption. (ylt)