Bram gets six years in graft case

Bram gets six years in graft case

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Anticorruption Court sent businessman Bram HD Manoppo to jail
for six months on Tuesday after finding him guilty of defrauding
the state during the purchase of a Russian-made MI-2 helicopter
for the Aceh administration.

The court also ordered Bram, who heads the PT Putra Pobiagan
Mandiri (PPM) company, to pay a Rp 200 million (about US$20,000)
fine and make restitution of Rp 3.6 billion for the losses he
inflicted on the state.

Presiding Judge Gus Rizal said Bram was guilty of illegally
enriching himself with state money through corrupt means in the
purchase of the helicopter in 2001, which also involved dismissed
Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh.

Puteh himself had been previously sentenced by the same court
to 10 years in jail, ordered to pay Rp 500 million in fines and
make good the losses he had inflicted on the state.

The Supreme Court last week upheld the jail sentence and asked
Puteh to pay Rp 6.6 billion in restitution within one month.

During a previous hearing, prosecutors from the Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) said Bram had received a Rp 750
million down payment for the helicopter purchase despite the
absence of an official agreement.

Bram's sentence was one year lighter than recommended by the
prosecution. If he fails to pay Rp 3.6 billion in restitution as
ordered, he will have to spend another six months behind bars.

According to the prosecution, among the compounding factors in
the case were the fact that Bram had engaged in graft amid the
efforts by the state to stamp out corruption, that the purchase
was in violation of the procedures and that Bram had given
misleading answers during his trial.

"As for mitigating factors, he was well-behaved and polite
during the trial, has a family to support and is already of
advanced age," said Khaidir Ramli, one of the prosecutors.

After the verdict was read out, Bram immediately said he would
appeal, saying he was innocent.

"I'm appealing as the helicopter is still a valuable asset,
while the court failed to take this into consideration," Bram was
quoted as saying by Antara.

He also denied having inflicted losses on the state as the
helicopter was fully intact and operational, and had been
delivered to the Aceh administration.

"In fact, I'm the one who has lost out here as a businessman
as the Aceh administration has yet to pay the full price of the
helicopter. I'm innocent," said Bram.

Regarding Bram's place of incarceration, it was not
immediately clear on Tuesday whether he would be imprisoned in
the Salemba or Cipinang penitentiaries.

"We'll take him first to the KPK offices to make a report.
Then we'll decide where Bram will serve his jail term," said
prosecutor Khaidir.