KPU treasurer Hamdani stands trial in KPU corruption case
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
General Elections Commission (KPU) treasurer Hamdani Amin went on trial at the Anticorruption Court here on Monday on charges of embezzling funds earmarked for last year's legislative polls.
During his first court hearing, Hamdani, dressed in a black civil servant uniform, looked calm as prosecutors read out the indictment against him. He was accompanied by a team of lawyers led by Abidin.
Prosecutor Wisnu Baroto laid multilayer charges against Hamdani, saying the defendant had enriched himself or others by accepting illegal gratuities from KPU partner firms that won tenders to provide election materials.
He said the defendant violated articles 2 and 18 of Law No. 31/1999 on corruption, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
"The defendant committed wrongdoings to enrich himself and others, causing material losses to the state," Wisnu said.
He explained that Hamdani had proposed an insurance scheme worth Rp 35 billion for all KPU members and employees early in 2004.
He then met insurance firm PT Asuransi Bumi Putra Muda 1967 director Ma'alim Muslich for negotiations on the scheme in June last year.
All the KPU members later agreed to pay Rp 14.8 billion (US$1.5 million) in premiums, but required the insurance company to repay 34 percent of the amount in a kickback.
On July 13, 2004, Hamdani received a phone call from Muslich, who informed him that US$566,795 was about to be delivered to the KPU.
On the following day, the defendant reported the kickback to KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin, who later instructed him to keep the money.
The prosecutors said the defendant later distributed the money to all KPU members and officials in August and September 2004, with Nazaruddin receiving $75,000 and deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti $55,000. Other KPU members, including current justice minister Hamid Awaluddin, apparently got $40,000 each, according to the indictment.
The KPU secretary and his deputy are accused of receiving $15,000 each, while Syaukani, another KPU staffer, received $3,600. The remaining $6,541 was used to cover the costs of foreign trips taken by KPU members.
The prosecutors also charged Hamdani of violating the Anticorruption Law when he received gifts from other KPU partner firms.
Wisnu said the defendant had been paid Rp 2.3 billion in gratuities by PT Astra International, which supplied operational cars for KPU members; a $57,900 kickback from PT Suresh, which supplied ink; and a $150,000 kickback from PT Surabaya Agung, which supplied ballot papers during the second round of last year's presidential election.
Hamdani is the third suspect to face trial in the high-profile corruption case in the national election body.
KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah and KPU deputy secretary Sussongko Suhardjo are also standing trial on similar graft charges.
Mulyana was reportedly caught offering a Rp 300 million bribe to Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) auditor Khairiansyah Salman in an attempt to influence the outcome of an audit on KPU funds. Mulyana's arrest led to the revelations of KPU graft scams by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Sussongko was tried for his alleged role in the bribery case.
Meanwhile, Nazaruddin told Monday's trial of Mulyana that he had no knowledge of Mulyana's plan to bribe Khairiansyah.
Nazaruddin also denied knowing about the money used by Mulyana to offer a bribe as the money had never been discussed at KPU meetings.
In the previous court hearing, Hamdani testified against Mulyana, admitting that he gave four checks worth Rp 100 million to Mulyana at the instruction of Sussongko.