Dewi to get land verdict next week

JAKARTA: South Jakarta District Court is scheduled to deliver the verdict next month on a land claim filed by a widow of former president Sukarno lawsuit.

Presiding Judge Zoeber Djajadi announced on Tuesday that the panel of three judges would review the case before delivering a verdict on Sept. 18.

Ratna Sari Dewi, one of Sukarno's wives, is claiming ownership of a plot of land on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta, on which the Jakarta Stock Exchange and Artha Graha building are located.

Dewi names a number of institutions, including the Artha Graha Bank, the city administration and the State Land Agency (BPN) in her lawsuit.

She is demanding that the accused return the land, which was formerly owned by her Sari Asih Foundation, to her or pay Rp 1.9 trillion (US$223.53 million) in compensation.

According to Dewi, she had entrusted the land to a church in 1967 to build a hospital for the poor. However, the land remained vacant until 1980. Nine years later the land was claimed by PT Danayasa Arthayasa, a company belonging to the Artha Graha Group, which is owned by Tomy Winarta.

The company later sold the land to other parties, including PT Danareksa, the owner of the Jakarta Stock Exchange building. -- Antara