Hokiarto too sick to hear ruling

Hokiarto too sick to hear ruling

JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court canceled on
Wednesday its delivery of a verdict on businessman Hokiarto, who
was tried for his involvement in a land scam that caused the
state Rp 48.7 billion (US$5.6 million) in losses, as the
defendant called in sick.

Hokiarto is being charged under Law No. 3/1971 on corruption,
which carries a maximum life sentence.

His lawyer Albert Nadeak handed over a letter from a doctor at
Husada Hospital, West Jakarta, stating that Hokiarto was sick.
However, the letter did not explain his ailment nor condition.

The same court had earlier freed the 69-year-old businessman
in September 2002 from a similar case that caused state losses of
Rp 95.4 billion, due to ambiguities in the indictment. It also
ruled earlier that the case should have been taken before the
North Jakarta District Court, which had jurisdiction over the
scene of the crime.

Other defendants in the case -- Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra
and Ricardo Gelael -- were both sentenced to 18 months
imprisonment in 1999, while Beddu Amang, who was also involved in
the scam, is serving his four-year jail term.

Presiding judge Machmud Rohimi adjourned the reading of the
verdict until next Monday. -- JP