`Maman a victim of bureaucracy'

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers of Maman Suparman, a second suspect in the Rp 1.3 trillion (US$620 million) loan scandal at Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo), said yesterday he was not involved in the scandal.

The lawyers, headed by Denny Kailimang, told the court that Maman, a former deputy manager of Bapindo's Jakarta branch, was only a victim of the bank's tangled bureaucracy.

They argued that Maman may have been wrong when changing several terms of loan contracts in violation of banking procedures but he did so with the knowledge of head office.

He only executed the orders of his superiors at head office and there was no proof that he bypassed normal banking procedures or took bribes from Tansil, the lawyers said.

Maman is being tried in South Jakarta District Court on charges of colluding with Eddy Tansil, the owner of the Golden Key Group, in allowing the latter to defraud Bapindo of US$448 million.

The government prosecutors earlier demanded that the court sentence Maman to 13 years imprisonment for his role in the scam.

Government prosecutors said that Maman received a total of Rp 201 million (US$93,488) from Tansil in return for changing the terms of credit from usance to red clause letters. According to the prosecution, Maman was directly responsible for $174 million that Bapindo paid out to Tansil.

His trial is now reaching its final stages and yesterday the court heard his lawyers' closing defense.

Maman formerly told a court hearing that the source of his wealth came from his personal savings, including money left over from overseas and domestic trips, and earnings from stock and foreign exchange transactions.

According to Maman, all of his savings and earnings had given him a total Rp423 million ($197,000) between 1984 to 1993.

He said that he used the money to buy a Rp365 million ($169,000) house in an exclusive residential area in Pulomas, East Jakarta, in 1991 and spent a total Rp50 million for repairs gradually made until 1993.

The prosecutors want the government to confiscate the house, which is now valued at upwards of Rp700 million. (05)