Five more BNI suspects tried for corruption

Five more suspects in the high-profile, Rp 1.7 trillion (US$190 million) Bank BNI scandal were brought to trial on Monday.

The five were Olah Abdullah Agam, director of PT Gramarindo Mega Indonesia, Aprilia Widata of PT Pankintrans, Titik Pristiwati of PT Bhineka Utama Pasifik, Andrian Pandelaki Lumowa of PT Magnetik Utama Esa and Richard Kountul of PT Metranta.

They were accused of deceiving state bank BNI by using letters of credit from correspondent banks in Congo and Kenya to withdraw money from BNI's Kebayoran Baru branch.

The letters of credit turned out to be fake, causing the state bank to suffer losses of Rp 1.7 trillion.

Investigators have named a total of 16 suspects in the scandal. The main suspect, Indonesian-born Dutchwoman Maria Lumowa, is still at large.

Prosecutor Syaiful Taher accused the defendants of violating Articles 2 and 18 of Law No. 20/2002 on corruption and Article 64 of the country's Criminal Code (KUHP). Violations of these articles carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Two suspects -- head of BNI Kebayoran Baru branch Kusadiyuwono and the branch's foreign relations head Edi Santoso -- were taken to court earlier on the same charges. The trial is now entering the phase of questioning witnesses. -- JP