Legislators demand release of Suripto

Legislators demand release of Suripto

JAKARTA: Twenty-five House of Representatives' legislators
visited Jakarta Police Headquarters on Monday to demand the
release of the former secretary-general of the forestry ministry,
Suripto, who is being detained for alleged graft.

One of the legislators, Sunmanjaya of House Commission III
overseeing forestry, said a petition signed by the legislators
seeking Suripto's release was submitted to police.

The legislators gave police assurances that Suripto would
neither run, conceal evidence or avoid answering questions.

Suripto is implicated of marking-up the costs of two
helicopters purchased by the ministry.

The legislators said Suripto was innocent, saying the purchase
was in line with Presidential Decree No.18/2000 on the supply of
infrastructure.

Suripto's lawyer Effendi Saman said one of the choppers
crashed, with insurance company PT Tugu Pratama paying the
ministry a Rp 39.9 billion claim.

"This shows that the helicopters were new, not second-hand as
claimed by the prosecutors," Effendi said. -- Antara