Investigation into Ginandjar graft case halted

Investigation into Ginandjar graft case halted

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office has decided to
halt an investigation into corruption charges against former
minister of mines and energy Ginandjar Kartasasmita, pending the
verdict of the Supreme Court over its objection to a lower court
ruling.

Prosecutor Barman Zahir said on Thursday it would be useless
to resume the probe since the South Jakarta District Court stated
on Wednesday that the existing joint investigation team had no
legal base.

"The problem is that Judge Soedarto's decision was based on a
military regulation that states that police investigators should
be included in a joint investigation team and that the state
prosecutors are merely members of the team.

"Meanwhile, we adhere to the 1971 Anticorruption Law under
which the attorney general should lead a joint team formed to
investigate a case involving military officers and civilians. If
we insist on continuing with the investigation, we'll only end up
dealing with another pretrial motion (such as that filed by
Ginandjar)," he told The Jakarta Post.

On Wednesday, the district court ordered Ginandjar's release
from the detention of the Attorney General's Office. The hearing
was based on Ginandjar's complaint against Attorney General
Marzuki Darusman.

State prosecutors had earlier named three other suspects in
the case which allegedly caused US$24.8 million in losses to the
state. The three were Ginandjar's successor Ida Bagus Sudjana,
former president of state oil and gas company Pertamina Faisal
Abda'oe and private oil company PT Ustraindo Petro Gas director
Praptono H. Tjitrohupojo.

The investigation began early this year.

Ginandjar, also deputy chairman of the People's Consultative
Assembly, had written a paper in his own defense during
detention, saying that the graft case was merely being used to
make him a scapegoat for the numerous problems the nation is
facing.

In Sebuah Pledoi (A Legal Defense), he defended his innocence
and stated he had never launched a movement to topple President
Abdurrahman "Gur Dur" Wahid.

"The allegation is groundless and it's purpose is only to find
someone to blame for the many serious problems the government is
facing. If the allegation was true it should be accepted as
normal in a democracy. Differences of opinion must also be
respected, without being considered subversion," he told a media
conference at the House of Representatives/People's Consultative
Assembly building here on Thursday.

Ginandjar said he remained cool-headed when asked by the
Attorney General's Office to return home from Boston for
questioning since he was sure he had nothing to do with the
corruption case.

He said that despite his arrest, he would not take revenge
against the President and his supporters but was considering
suing the Attorney General over the arbitrary arrest.

"I'm considering suing the Attorney General to prevent him
from conducting such arbitrary arrests in the future," he said.
(bby/rms)