Nurdin Halid acquitted of corruption charges

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): A heavily guarded district courthouse here on Monday acquitted Golkar legislator and businessman Nurdin Halid, who was accused of embezzling Rp 115.77 billion (US$12 million) from farmers' compulsory accounts at a local cooperative center.

At least one student was injured after security personnel outside fired warning shots to disperse protesters criticizing the controversial verdict.

"The defendant must be freed from all charges as the prosecutors have failed to prove the charges leveled against him," presiding judge Soewito said to the cheers of hundreds of Nurdin's supporters.

Soewito also instructed the prosecutors to return Nurdin's luxurious house here and the cooperative's Rp 8 billion ($888,000) deposit money, earlier confiscated as evidence.

"The court will also restore the defendant's rights and good name."

A team of prosecutors led by Mustafa Chani earlier this month demanded the court release Nurdin, citing their failure to provide adequate evidence to prove the charges leveled against him.

Nurdin is a former director of the cooperative center, which acted as the sole buyer of cloves from village cooperatives in the province.

Some 200 students from Hasanuddin University's School of Law protested the trial outside the courthouse.

"This trial is just a farce," student spokesman Arsanti Handayani said.

Security personnel barred the students from entering the yard and the courtroom, allowing hundreds of Nurdin's supporters to enter.

The protest turned violent after police elite Mobile Brigade personnel fired warning shots to disperse dozens of stone- throwing students trying to force their way into the courtroom.

Muchtar, a law student, sustained injuries from a bullet wound to his right thigh and was receiving medical treatment at Stella Maris Hospital.

City Police chief Col. Yusuf Manggabarani, who was also present, said security personnel had to fire warning shots, as the students were vandalizing street lights and pelting stones at the courthouse.

Students subsequently marched through the city's streets.

At least one taxi owned by the cooperative center was set on fire.

The students also smashed the front panel of a building owned by the cooperative and damaged other vehicles.

Dozens of security personnel were seen guarding shopping centers in the city on Monday evening.

The case provoked controversy from the outset.

In October, deputy attorney general for supervision, Jacob Rahim Saleh, said there was no evidence of criminal activity. Several days later his statement was denied by the chief of the provincial prosecutor's office, Gagoek Subagyanto.

Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib later ordered Gagoek to seriously investigate the case.

Nurdin claimed Gagoek's initiative was politically motivated. To pressure the prosecution to hold an inquiry, students started to hold rallies.

Gagoek then requested an early retirement, to take affect five months later.

However, when his request was accepted by the attorney general, Gagoek appeared shocked. At the same time, and for no clear reason, his spokesman was transferred to the faraway province of Irian Jaya.

The two measures upset many law experts who perceived the steps as efforts to discourage antigraft campaigns. (byg/27/30)