Ex-regent to be questioned today

Ex-regent to be questioned today

YOGYAKARTA: Former Bantul Regent Col. Sri Roso Sudarmo has
been summoned as a suspect in a bribery case by the military
police here and will be questioned today.

Local Military Police commander Lt. Col. Unggul Kawistara
Yudoyono said here Saturday that Sri Roso would be interrogated
for allegedly offering the Dharmais charity foundation Rp 1
billion (US$71,500) to smooth his reappointment as Bantul regent
for the 1996/2001 term.

The foundation is chaired by former president Soeharto.

Unggul said that despite focusing its main attention on the
bribery charges, the military police investigation would also be
open to the possibility of looking for clues which might connect
the regent to the unsolved murder of Bernas daily journalist,
Fuad Muhammad Syafrudin, in 1996.

Fuad, also known as Udin, was among a few journalists who
first reported Sri Roso's alleged attempt to offer the "donation"
to the foundation.

Yesterday, Unggul also said that everybody allegedly linked to
the bribery case would be summoned for questioning.

He said this would include the Argomulyo village head in
Godean subdistrict of Bantul, R. Notosuwito, who is also a
stepbrother of former president Soeharto. (23/44)