Four years sought for Puteh's lawyer
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.