Ex-regent grilled for six hours

Ex-regent grilled for six hours

YOGYAKARTA: Former Bantul regent Col. Sri Roso Sudarmo was
grilled for more than six hours by the military police here
yesterday over allegations that he tried to bribe a Soeharto-
linked foundation with Rp 1 billion (US$68,000) to get
reappointed as regent.

The former regent, who was mobbed by waiting reporters after
the questioning, refused to comment on his questioning.

The head of the Military Police investigating team, Lt. Col.
Unggul K. Yudoyono, who was interviewed later, also refused to
reveal much about the interrogation.

"Many questions were asked," he said, adding that only the
Central Java Military Police chief in Semarang could give
material details of the interrogation.

Sri Roso was grilled as a suspect for in 1996 allegedly
agreeing to give a "donation" to the Dharmais Foundation chaired
by former president Soeharto if he could retain his post.

Sri Roso may also be questioned over the unsolved murder of
Bernas daily journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, alias Udin, in
1996.

Many people believe the journalist's death was probably tied
to corruption reports he was investigating in Bantul.

The head of the Yogyakarta police detectives, Lt. Col. Erwin
Tobing, said yesterday that 27 people had been interrogated in
the new probe into Udin's murder. (23/44)