Judge delays verdict for jail guard

JAKARTA (JP): A judge adjourned yesterday the trial of a penitentiary guard accused of letting corruption convict Eddy Tansil escape.

The hearing at the East Jakarta District Court was originally scheduled to hear the judge's sentencing.

"I need time to insert the legal considerations before I can hand down the verdict," Judge Makmun said.

Prosecutor Sumirah has demanded a one-year jail term, accusing the defendant of taking a Rp 100,000 (US$45) bribe in return for opening Tansil's cell on the night of the escape.

Tansil, owner of the Golden Key Group, was in his second year of a 20-year jail term when he fled the prison in May. He was convicted of charges related to hundreds of millions of dollars of corruption that nearly brought the state-owned Bank Pembangunan Indonesia to its knees. Tansil is still at large and is believed to have fled the country.

The 47-year-old defendant is in charge of security in the particular block where Tansil was kept. Four other Cipinang penitentiary staff have also been tried in the same court. One of them was sentenced to eight months imprisonment last week. (16)