Former official faces six years in jail

Former official faces six years in jail

TANGERANG (JP): A prosecutor asked the Tangerang District
Court on Monday to sentence a former tax official to six years in
jail for involvement in a Rp 1.2 billion (US$137,142) corruption
scandal.

Prosecutor Hasan Basri also asked the court in his indictment
to impose a fine of Rp 30 million on Harry Kamaludin, the former
head of Tangerang's Revenue Office.

"The defendant caused Rp 1.2 billion in state losses," Hasan
said.

He said Kamaludin committed the crime during his tenure
between 1994 and 1996 by sending numerous letters to several
taxpayers asking for money.

The defendant, for example, sent 28 letters to one of the
witnesses, identified as Rusli Dadang, requesting Rp 275 million.

The defendant was guilty of violating Article 1 (1) of
Corruption Law No. 3/1971, he said.

The article carries a maximum punishment of a life sentence or
20 years in jail and/or a Rp 30 million fine.

The defendant also asked Achmad Sofyan, head of technical
affairs, to give him Rp 96 million on July 11, 1996, Hasan said.

"Because of the defendant's wrongdoing, taxpayers no longer
have any trust in the government," he said.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant, who has no prior
convictions, had returned Rp 76 million.

Presiding judge Syamsul Hadi adjourned the trial until next
week to hear the lawyers' response to the indictment. (41/jun)