Governor grilled for nine hours over graft
The Jakarta Post, Padang/Banda Aceh/Pekanbaru
After helping jail almost all members of the West Sumatra legislative council in a collective graft scam last May, prosecutors here on Wednesday questioned Governor Zainal Bakar for over nine hours in the same case.
He was charged with embezzling Rp 6.4 billion (US$711,111) of West Sumatra's 2002 budget, along with 43 of the 55 councillors who were sentenced on May 17, 2004 to up to two years and three months in prison.
Zainal arrived in a Kijang van at the provincial prosecutor's office at about 8:30 a.m. for questioning, accompanied by his lawyer Handra Dedi Hasan.
Dozens of West Sumatra administration officials, including the heads of several bureaus, were waiting for the governor at the prosecutor's office and escorted him into the investigation room.
Journalists were originally prevented from covering the event, but were eventually given a brief opportunity to take pictures of the governor before his questioning began.
"It (the investigation) is the proper way to prove whether or not the governor is involved in the case. We leave it up to the prosecution," Handra said.
Zainal was named a suspect in the scam on Oct. 25, 2004, five months after the Padang District Court convicted the 43 councillors, who remain free pending their appeals.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gave his consent on Nov. 26 for the North Sumatra prosecutors to summon Zainal.
Zainal is among scores of officials who are suspects in corruption cases across the country, which is ranked by German- based watchdog Transparency International as one of the world's most corrupt.
On Tuesday, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Governor Abdullah Puteh was detained for his alleged involvement in a graft case, paving the way for the first hearing before the new anticorruption court.
Puteh was accused of embezzling US$1.3 million in state funds for his role in the alleged mark-up of a Russian-made helicopter brought for official use.
Scores of local councillors have been convicted, are being investigated or are standing trial on corruption charges.
Meanwhile, the Aceh Prosecutor's Office demanded on Wednesday that the Banda Aceh District Court jail two councillors and a former councillor for 18 months over their alleged involvement in a Rp 5.6 billion graft case.
The suspects, Tjut Ali Umar, Fadhiel Amin and Tengku Zunir Idris, are standing trial on charges of misusing Rp 5.6 billion from Aceh's 2002 budget. Both Tjut Ali and Fadhiel were reelected as councillors in the April 5, 2004 general election.
The graft case involves another 25 councillors from the 1999- 2004 period, including Muntasir Hamid, who was recently reelected as the Banda Aceh legislative council speaker.
"The 28 suspects have been proven to have violated Law No. 22/2001 on corruption," prosecutor Saprianto told Wednesday's trial.
In Riau, the head and deputy head of the provincial education office were reported on Monday to the police for corruption.
The two have been accused of misusing some Rp 2 billion in assistance funds from the 2004 state budget for 40 senior high schools in Riau.
"We have data, evidence and witnesses," Kapitra Ampera, the lawyer acting for businessman Jefrie Cahya, who reported the two officials to the Riau Police, said on Wednesday.