Bank DKI trial opens in C. Jakarta court

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)