Former tofu boss gets 4 years for corruption
Former tofu boss gets 4 years for corruption
JAKARTA (JP): Marzuki Bazis, 37, former head of the Indonesian
Tofu Soybean Cooperatives (Kopti), sat silent on Thursday when a
packed courtroom cheered after Judge Bay Bastur sentenced him to
a four-year jail term for embezzling Rp 1.7 billion (US$195,400)
of the cooperatives' funds.
"The defendant has violated Article 374 of the Criminal Code
on embezzlement," Bastur told the hearing, amidst shouts and
cheers by the spectators at the West Jakarta District Court.
"You (Marzuki) deserve it... you put us in so much misery,"
said one man in the gallery, while another man hailed the judge
for administering such a severe penalty for corruption.
"Judge Bastur, you have shown that you are not afraid to throw
corruptors in jail. You are great. Justice has been served," the
man said.
In response, Marzuki immediately said he would appeal the case
to the Jakarta High Court.
The sentence was exactly the same as demanded by prosecutor
Fachrudin, who grinned upon hearing the verdict.
In an initial hearing, Marzuki was nearly mobbed by spectators
while the prosecutor and judges looked on in fear, because no
witnesses had appeared.
Spectators, sensing something was wrong, immediately started
blaming the prosecutor and judges for taking bribes in the case.
"That man deserves to be beaten," a spectator shouted at
Marzuki. Police officers secured the courtroom and prevented any
violence.
City Police detectives arrested the defendant last year for
embezzling Rp 1.7 billion. The money had been paid by Kopti's 670
members as down payment for a cooperatives housing complex in the
Samanan area of Kalideres, West Jakarta.
Marzuki urged the members in 1997 to invest in a housing
complex in the Samanan area, telling them that the area was safe
and the land was cheap.
Trusting him, each Kopti member paid a down payment, ranging
between Rp 5 million and Rp 7.5 million.
In 1999, when all the members had paid and had heard nothing
from Marzuki, they decided to visit the Samanan area and were
shocked to see that there was no land being purchased for the
cooperatives.
When they arrived at Marzuki's house in Kalideres, he told
them that their money was in an account at Bank Bumi Daya.
The members received yet another shock, when they found that
the account number at the bank, was Marzuki's own personal
account.
They immediately reported the case to the West Jakarta police.
(ylt)