Court drop charges against Beddu

Court drop charges against Beddu

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of supporters of the former chairman of
the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), Beddu Amang, who was charged
for his alleged role in a Rp 95.4 billion (US$10.9 million) land
scam, celebrated shortly after the South Jakarta District Court
dropped the indictment against him on Monday.

"Long live justice, long live justice," the supporters shouted
after hearing a provisional decision read out by presiding Judge
Samsoeddin A.B.

In different courtrooms on Monday, the trials of two other
defendants in the corruption case -- businessmen Ricardo Gelael
and Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra -- continued.

The judges ordered the trial against Ricardo to proceed, while
a decision on the trial of Tommy, the youngest son of former
president Soeharto, will be announced next week.

In the trial against Beddu, Judge Samsoeddin said the
prosecutors' indictment against Beddu was inaccurate, unclear and
incomplete.

"The indictment (read by prosecutor Soehardjono two weeks ago)
did not mention details of the defendant's job or his authority
as Bulog's chief.

"It also did not mention that Beddu was still a member of the
People's Consultative Assembly," the judge said.

He argued the indictment only explained a land exchange deal
between the defendant, Tommy and Ricardo without elaborating on
which laws had been violated by Beddu.

He said the court believed the indictment was not arranged
properly according to Article 143 (2) of the Criminal Code
Procedure on the requirements of an indictment, and should
therefore be annulled.

In response to the judge's intermediate decision, the
prosecutor in the case, Soehardjono, said he would appeal the
decision to the Jakarta High Court, insisting he had made the
indictment clear, accurate and complete.

"We will appeal to the high court. If the appeal is rejected,
we will enter a new indictment against the defendant," he said.

According to Soehardjono, it was not necessary for the
indictment to mention details on Beddu's job because such
information would be examined in later court sessions.

In last week's trial, the prosecutor told the court that Beddu
did not indicate to the court that he was a member of the
People's Consultative Assembly.

In today's court session, aired live by private television
station ANteve, the 62-year-old Beddu appeared happy after
hearing the decision.

"I think the judge made a brave and independent decision in a
widely publicized case," Beddu's lawyer, Amir Syamsuddin, said.

Beddu, Tommy and Ricardo are accused of involvement in a land
scam which caused the state Rp 95.4 billion in losses.

The three defendants were charged under Article 1 (a) of
Corruption Law No. 3/1971 which carries a maximum penalty of life
imprisonment or 20 years in jail and/or a Rp 30 million fine.

Beddu signed an agreement with Tommy in February 1995 for the
exchange of Bulog's 50-hectare warehouse complex in Kelapa Gading
for 125-hectares of land in Marunda, both in North Jakarta.

The agreement was canceled by Bulog's new chief, Rahardi
Ramelan, in March last year.

In a separate courtroom on Monday, presiding Judge Jalius Amin
said in his provisional decision on the indictment of Ricardo
that the panel of judges decided to continue examining his
alleged role in the case.

Jalius said the indictment had been arranged clearly,
accurately and completely.

"If there is a factor of a (possible) civil case, it should be
examined further in later sessions," Jalius said.

Ricardo's lawyer, O.C. Kaligis, asked the court to present
Rahardi Ramelan as a witness in the case.

"Since the prosecutor charged that the defendant caused losses
to Bulog and the state, we ask the new Bulog chief to testify
first," Kaligis said.

The judge adjourned the trial until next week, when testimony
from witnesses will be heard.

Outside the court, Amin said Rahardi was not included on a
list of witnesses in Ricardo's dossier.

"We will not summon Rahardi. He could be asked by Ricardo's
lawyer to testify as a witness who might help lighten the charges
against his client," he said.

In another courtroom, prosecutor Fachmi asked the court to
continue examining the indictment against Tommy.

Presiding Judge R. Soenarto adjourned the trial until next
week to read his provisional decision on the indictment.

As in last week's trial, Tommy, attired in a yellow batik
shirt and black trousers, received a garland of jasmine flowers
from a woman before he entered the courtroom.

Dozens of Tommy's supporters sang national songs and yelled:
"Long live Tommy, long live Tommy."

Commenting on the indictment against Beddu being dropped,
noted lawyer Luhut Pangaribuan said the judges handling the case
could not produce independent or objective decisions.

"This case should be handled by people in the new government
formed after the next general election. All the people involved
in the trial are (Soeharto's) New Order people who cannot be
expected to solve corruption cases," said Luhut, a former
chairman of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute. (jun)