Museum staff face jail terms over theft

JAKARTA (JP): A state prosecutor asked the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday to sentence two National Museum employees to three and four years imprisonment for their alleged roles in the theft of 25 paintings.

Bambang Widoyono, 38 and Supandi, 41, who both worked in the museum's conservation department, were charged under Article 363 of the Criminal Code for conspiring to steal.

Prosecutor Amri Sata demanded four years for Bambang and three for Supandi.

The paintings, including five works of the late Basoeki Abdullah, were removed from the museum between March and May last year. The theft came to light only in September when some of the Basoeki's and Raden Saleh's paintings were included in a Christie's Singapore auction catalog.

They were eventually retrieved, but police are still searching for a Singaporean, identified as Michael Lee, whom they believe was the brains behind the theft.

Amri said the paintings, together worth more than US$400,000, were part of the national heritage which had been entrusted to the defendants for safekeeping.

"As employees of the museum they should have guarded all museum's assets, instead of stealing them," he said.

The defendants received between Rp 3 million ($1,200) and Rp 6 million for each painting from Michael, Amri said, adding that Bambang took a larger cut of the money.

Amri said the fact that neither men had any prior convictions prevented him from demanding a heavier sentence. The charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

The trial was adjourned until next week for the defense to present its closing argument. (12)