Bank DKI trial opens in C. Jakarta court
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court initiated on Wednesday the trial of the Rp 857 million (US$95,200) alleged corruption case involving two former top officials of the city- owned Bank DKI.
Prosecutor Untung Sitorang told the hearing that the defendants, identified as the bank's former president Maman Soelasman and former director of general affairs Djunaedy Albaghdady, had violated the 1999 Corruption Law.
"Both defendants in their capacities as directors of the bank, have violated the 1999 Corruption Law," Untung told the hearing, presided over by judge Rasadi Salmun.
"Both defendants sanctioned withdrawals involving hundreds of millions of rupiah for city council or city hall meetings, and for ensuring the ratification of bylaws or other unrelated expenses."
Article 3 of Law No. 31/1999 stipulates that a person guilty of either profiting himself or causing benefit to accrue to another person or a corporation through the abuse of his position as a result of which losses are suffered by the state, shall be subject to a minimum one years and a maximum 20 years imprisonment.
The sentence could be accompanied by a minimum fine of Rp 50 million and a maximum of Rp 1 billion.
The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office began the investigation into the corruption scam, then worth Rp 2 billion, in May last year.
Neither defense attorney Glora Tarigan nor Untung were able to explain on Wednesday the huge discrepancy in the amounts.
The bank employees were summoned in May last year by the prosecutor's office to hand over ledgers and used withdrawal forms filled out by Maman and Djunaedy for personal expenses, which amounted to Rp 1 billion each beginning January last year, as evidence.
"Maman and Djunaedy at times withdrew up to Rp 50 million for an office meeting that cost no more than Rp 2 million. Bank slips and signatures on the ledgers are now being kept as evidence at the prosecutor's office," an employee, who requested anonymity, said.
Under request
Another source, who also asked not to be named, provided The Jakarta Post with copies of what was claimed to be internal payment notices (SPMUs) issued by the bank.
They appeared to show the withdrawal of more than Rp 288 million at the request and by the approval of Maman and Djunaedy or senior members of their staff.
The documents, dated from 1997 to May 1999, stipulated that the payment of the funds -- ranging from Rp 3 million to 40 million per order -- was to be made to the bank's "general affairs bureau".
In the SPMUs, various reasons were given for the disbursement of the funds, most of which involved meetings and operational activities of the Jakarta administration and the City Council.
Apart from this case, defendant Djunaedy was also one of three people who underwent investigation at the prosecutor's office for saddling the bank with Rp 172 billion in bad credits.
The other two, namely former bank president Soeharto and former marketing director Bassar Soetardjo, were replaced in January 1999 by Maman and Siti Aisyah Margareth Rose Harahap respectively.
Siti was fired on May 7 last year by Governor Sutiyoso on the grounds of using a fake university degree to apply for the job.
Siti, who claims the allegation is a lie, said it was a ploy by the administration to stop her from revealing data, which she gathered during her four-month tenure as director, on corrupt high-ranking officials in the administration and Bank DKI.
The hearing was adjourned until next Wednesday. (ylt)