Court opens new case against Akbar
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Just as he gears up for the presidential convention, Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung is about to face another battle he did not choose to fight -- a lawsuit filed by a self-confessed middleman.
The South Jakarta District Court revealed on Monday that it had scheduled the first hearing of Akbar's alleged breach of contract case for next Thursday, days before Golkar is due to hold its convention to elect a presidential candidate (on Tuesday, April 20).
"I will chair the panel of judges hearing the case," spokesman of the South Jakarta District Court Ida Bagus Putu Madeg said.
He stressed that the court was ready to hold the trial.
Akbar's defense lawyer, Atmajaya Salim, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that his client was ready to face the lawsuit.
"It's just an ordinary case, but it carries much political nuance due to my client's position," said Atmajaya.
Akbar, who is also House of Representatives (DPR) speaker, is hoping to become his party's candidate for the presidency at the April 20 convention.
Many analysts have suggested that Akbar could win Golkar's endorsement due to his success in consolidating the party following the downfall of former autocrat Soeharto in 1998. The party is leading in the national tally for the legislative election on April 5.
Kito Irkhamni, a former aide to Attorney General M.A. Rachman, filed the lawsuit on March 25, accusing the House speaker of breaching a verbal agreement to pay him Rp 1 billion (US$114,000) as a "commitment fee for his services in providing information on the development of Akbar's corruption case from the district court to the Supreme Court".
He also demanded Akbar pay Rp 5 billion in material losses due to his failure to keep his promise.
According to Kito, he met Akbar in 2002 when the latter was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly misappropriating funds worth Rp 40 billion from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
When the court started to hear his case, Akbar asked Kito to monitor and inform him about each development in his case, Kito said in his lawsuit.
Akbar also allegedly asked Kito to "convince judges who hear the case that Akbar made no mistake in the case". It was also not immediately clear if meetings between Akbar and the judges handling his case ever took place.
Kito claimed that for services rendered Akbar handed over two checks for Rp 325 million as an "operational fee" to Kito, who cashed it should that be "them" as there were 2? at 12:30 p.m. on July 30, 2002, at the Semanggi branch office of BNI bank.
Kito also claimed that Akbar promised him Rp 1 billion if the Supreme Court issued a verdict favoring his appeal case. Akbar confirmed the promise in writing on the back of his name card and signed it.
Kito said that he had sufficient evidence and witnesses to support his lawsuit.
Akbar admitted to meeting Kito in a family gathering in 2002 but denied the allegation that he had asked Kito to monitor his case.
Akbar was declared guilty of corruption and sentenced to three years in jail by the Central Jakarta District Court in 2002. The verdict was upheld by the Jakarta High Court in 2003, but was overturned by the Supreme Court in mid-February.
It remains unknown whether this latest development will be treated as fresh evidence, and therefore the means by which the corruption case on Akbar could be reopened.
The Attorney General's Office is still considering whether or not to reopen his case.