Tue, 20 Apr 1999

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)