Police hand over suspect in Bulog scam

Police hand over suspect in Bulog scam

JAKARTA (JP): City Police submitted to the Jakarta
Prosecutor's Office on Monday the dossier on Sapuan, the main
suspect behind the Rp 35 billion (US$3.9 million) scandal at the
State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

Sapuan, former Bulog deputy chairman, was arrested by the
police early last month for his alleged key role in the affair.

"We have completed the dossiers on the suspect," chief of the
city police's economic crimes unit Asst. Supt. Tito Karnavian
announced at city police headquarters.

"Today, we handed over the suspect along with some evidence to
the prosecutor's office, which will be responsible for further
prosecution," he said.

Besides Sapuan, who was named a suspect for his decision to
order the disbursement of funds belonging to the Bulog employees
foundation Yanatera to President Abdurrahman Wahid's former
masseur Suwondo, the city police also handed over evidence in the
case including three luxury cars and some cash to the city
prosecutor's office.

The three cars were a BMW Sport with registration number B
8099 BE, a Mercedes New Eyes with registration number B 168 GT
and a Range Rover jeep with registration number B 8657 HE, while
the other evidence consisted of Rp 15 million in cash and a land
certificate for a 100-hectare plot in Cianjur, West Java.

The three cars and the plot were owned by Suwondo, who
according to Sapuan had pressured him to disburse the Rp 35
billion for use as humanitarian aid for the restive Aceh
province.

Media reports have said that Rp 10 billion of the Yanatera
funds went directly into Suwondo's account, while another Rp 15
billion went into a bank account belonging to Suko Sudarso, an
executive of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), another Rp 5 billion to an account belonging to Leo
Purnomo, reportedly a staff member of the Air Wagon (Awair) air
freight company, and the other Rp 5 billion to an account
belonging to Siti Farikha, a Central Java-based businesswoman.

Suwondo, through his wife Tety, returned his Rp 10 billion to
Yanatera on June 7, followed by Siti Farikha, who returned her Rp
5 billion the next day. Three days later the police froze Leo's
account at Bank Central Asia's (BCA) Tomang branch. Leo is still
at large.

Leo, Suwondo and Sapuan were then named suspects in the case.

Sapuan, wearing a scarf on Monday, looked pale as two police
officers escorted him to the Mercedes car which took him to the
prosecutor's office at 10.15 a.m.

"I have a heart problem," Sapuan, who was dressed in a
traditional cream batik shirt and cream pants, briefly told
reporters upon leaving police headquarters.

Sapuan had been receiving treatment at the police's Sukanto
Hospital in Kramatjati, East Jakarta, since early this month.

During questioning at the House of Representatives (DPR) last
month, Sapuan said that he had agreed to disburse the funds
because he believed that he was acting on presidential orders.

He said Suwondo, who claimed to be acting on behalf of
President Abdurrahman, had persistently urged him to disburse the
funds.

Tito said that the city police had been unable to trace the
other two suspects, Suwondo and Leo.

"We have coordinated with Interpol. We have also offered a
reward for information leading to the tracking down of the
suspects, but their whereabouts are still unknown," he said.

He said the police were also trying to recover the remaining
Rp 5 billion out of the Rp 35 billion fund. (asa)