Beddu, Ricardo tried in Goro corruption case

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)