Four years sought for Puteh's lawyer

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Prosecutors demanded on Tuesday a four-year jail sentence for a lawyer accused of trying to buy the freedom of his client, suspended Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh, Antara reported.

Tengku "Popon" Syaifuddin is charged with paying Rp 250 million (US$25,000) to a deputy clerk at the Jakarta High Court, Ramadhan Rizal, and a court clerk, Mochammad Soleh, to help Puteh win the appeal he filed against a lower court verdict sentencing him to 10 years in prison for graft.

"The defendant has been proven conclusively guilty of providing Rp 250 million in bribes in connection with the appeal of his client Abdullah Puteh," prosecutor Khaidir Ramli said at the Anticorruption Court.

The Jakarta High Court upheld Puteh's jail sentence, but threw out the ruling requiring him to pay restitution to the state. The Supreme Court later reinstated the restitution ruling, in addition to upholding the 10-year jail sentence.

Popon, prosecutors said, violated Article 5 of Law No. 20/2001 on corruption, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail.

Investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained Popon and Ramadhan on June 15, when the lawyer allegedly attempted to bribe the clerk with Rp 250 million. Soleh was also present at the time of the arrests, which took place in Ramadhan's office. Investigators found a black suitcase containing the cash inside the deputy clerk's desk.

Ramadhan is standing trial separately.

KPK investigators were also instrumental in arresting General Elections Commission member Mulyana W. Kusumah for bribery in April. Mulyana was later sentenced to 31 months in prison.

The Corruption Eradication Commission has a number of special powers, including the authority to tape the conversations of people suspected of committing graft.

Prosecutors also demanded on Tuesday that Popon be given a Rp 50 million, or face an additional three months in jail.

Popon, the prosecution said, undermined the government's campaign against corruption and discredited the legal profession by his actions.

"As an intellectual and professional, the defendant should not have broken the law," Khaidir said.

The trial was adjourned until next Tuesday, at which time the court will hear from the defense.

Popon's lawyer, Beni Ramon, said the prosecution's sentence demand was too harsh.

"Prosecutors failed to take into account the facts and events that occurred before the money was handed over," Beni said.