Beddu, Ricardo tried in Goro corruption case

JAKARTA (JP): Before a packed public gallery, former chairman of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Beddu Amang and a senior executive of wholesaler PT Goro Batara Sakti were indicted on Monday in a multibillion rupiah corruption case.

Private television station ANteve broadcast live the separate sessions of Beddu and Ricardo Gelael at the South Jakarta District Court. Both men appeared composed during the proceedings.

Presiding judge Samsoeddin A.B. -- who was notable for repeatedly smiling during Beddu's trial -- banged his gavel to start the session at 10 a.m.

He immediately invited dozens of press photographers to take pictures.

"I think it is not only Beddu, we all want to have our pictures taken. So I'll give you three minutes."

Seated facing the judge, Beddu turned his chair toward the photographers and waved as the blitz of camera flashes lit up the courtroom.

Wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt and black pants, Beddu then listened as the indictment was read by prosecutor R. Soehardjono.

Soehardjono said Beddu conspired with Ricardo and former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra in a corrupt land scheme which caused state losses of Rp 95.4 billion (US$11 million) between Feb. 17, 1995, and May 4, 1998.

He said Beddu signed a memorandum of understanding with Tommy, in his capacity as president of private firm PT Sekar Artha Sentosa, for a land exchange involving a Bulog plot and warehouses in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

The agreement was signed at Bulog's office on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, on Feb. 17, one day after Beddu was inaugurated Bulog chief, he said.

The agreement stated Tommy would provide a 125-hectare plot in exchange for the 50-hectare warehousing complex. He was also responsible for handling all land certificate processing.

Beddu had justified the transaction on grounds the warehouse complex located near the Kelapa Gading housing complex was no longer feasible.

Soehardjono said Beddu sent a letter to then finance minister Mari'e Muhammad, stating the warehouse complex would be exchanged for 150 hectares in Marunda, North Jakarta.

He said the defendant, in another letter to the minister, stated that Soeharto requested the execution of the land exchange with Goro, in which Tommy also held shares.

He said the state losses included a loan of Rp 20 billion.

He said Tommy and Ricardo secured the loan from Bank Bukopin with a guarantee of a Rp 23 billion cash deposit from Bulog.

The loan was used to buy part of the Marunda land which belonged to businessman Hokiarto, he said.

"Since Tommy, Ricardo or Goro could not return the loan, the bank seized the deposit."

According to Soehardjono, Beddu bought another part of the Marunda land with Rp 32 billion which should have been provided by Goro.

He said Tommy and Ricardo also demolished 11 warehouses in Kelapa Gading which were worth Rp 7 billion.

He said the state also suffered losses of Rp 23 billion because Goro built on eight hectares of state land without providing anything in return to Bulog.

Soehardjono charged Beddu under Article 1 (a) of the Corruption Law No. 3/1971, which carries a maximum penalty of a life sentence and/or Rp 30 million fine.

In a separate courtroom, prosecutor D. Munthe read a similar indictment against Ricardo.

He was also charged under the same article of the corruption law.

Beddu was accompanied by five noted lawyers, including Amir Syamsuddin and M. Assegaf. Ricardo's 10-member team of attorneys included O.C. Kaligis and John Walerry.

Defense lawyers for the two men asked for the charges to be dropped because they argued it was a civil case.

"The losses, if they happened, should be handled as a civil case. Moreover, the new Bulog chief (Rahardi Ramelan) canceled the agreement," Amir said.

He said a new deal between the Bulog chief and the new president of Goro stated revised rental prices for Bulog warehouses.

Samsoeddin adjourned the trial until next week to hear the prosecutors' statements.

Tommy's indictment is scheduled to be heard in the court next Monday.

The Attorney General's Office has barred Tommy, Beddu and Ricardo from traveling outside the city. (jun)