Kemayoran fairground to host Akbar trial

Kemayoran fairground to host Akbar trial

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A spacious fair ground compound in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta,
will likely become the venue for the corruption trial of House
Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

The Central Jakarta District Court requested the move because
the court building could not accommodate the huge crowds of
onlookers.

Central Jakarta District Court chief Subardi said on Tuesday
that the court had requested a permit from the Ministry of
Justice and Human Rights to move the trial.

"We have sent a letter to the Ministry, hopefully, we will
obtain the permit soon," he said.

Police, prosecutors and the mayoralty had all been consulted,
Subardi said.

Central Jakarta mayor Petra Lumbun offered the Jakarta Fair
Ground in Kemayoran, which usually holds trade fairs, or the
mayoralty's assembly hall in Tanah Abang.

"But Kemayoran would be more suitable because our office has
limited (parking) ground," he said.

Earlier, the police had requested the court move the trials of
Akbar and former president Soeharto's son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala
Putra, who is on trial at the same court, as they attracted many
onlookers and protesters.

Insp.Gen. Makbul Padmanagara, the Jakarta Police chief, said
on Tuesday that it was almost certain that Akbar's trial would be
held in Kemayoran.

Even though Makbul also requested a new venue for Tommy's
trial, the court would still hold the trial in the court building
on Wednesday.

"We are still able to manage Tommy's case here because the
crowd at Tommy's trial is not as big as that of Akbar. We could
probably move it if it necessary. We'll watch the development of
Tommy's trial," Subardi said.

This is not the first time a high-profile trial has been held
outside a court building.

Two years ago, South Jakarta District Court conducted the
trial of corruption charges against Soeharto in the Ministry of
Agriculture building compound as the venue could accommodate a
large number of spectators.

But Soeharto never showed up there, as the court's five-member
panel of judges decided that he was too ill to stand trial.

Tommy's first hearing last week was handled by three judges:
Amirrudin Zakaria, Andi Samsan Nganro and I Ketut Gede.

On Wednesday there will be two additional judges, Herri
Swantoro and Pramodana K. Kusumah Atmadja.

It is the same five-member panel of judges who are trying
Akbar's case.

The trial of Akbar, who is also Golkar Party chief, grabbed
public and media attention. During his first trial on Monday,
hundreds of visitors came to the court either to show their
support or to protest.

Over 500 police officers were deployed to guard the court,
after city police chief warned of possible clashed Akbar
supporters and opponents.

The trial ran smoothly, however, despite heavy congestion
outside the court on Jl. Gadjah Mada, Central Jakarta.

Akbar is charged with misappropriating Rp 40 billion (US$ 4
million) from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1999, when he
was State/Cabinet Secretary under president B.J. Habibie.

Tommy is on trial for allegedly masterminding the murder of
Supreme Court justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, who sentenced him
to 18 months' jail for corruption.