Hokiarto a free man -- again

JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court threw out the corruption case against businessman Hokiarto on Monday, saying the prosecutor's indictment was "vague".

The court dismissed similar charges against the 69-year-old Hokiarto in September 2002 in a case involving state losses of Rp 95.4 billion.

The charges against Hokiarto this time involved his alleged involvement in a land scam that caused the state Rp 48.7 billion (US$5.6 million) in losses.

He was alleged to have received a loan from Bukopin Bank and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to buy a plot of land in Marunda, North Jakarta, in a 1995 land swap deal between Bulog and PT Goro Batara Sakti, which was owned by former president Soeharto's son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra and Ricardo Gelael.

Presiding judge Machmud Rohimi told prosecutors to revise the indictment and refile charges. -- JP