Police have yet to start probe on Suwondo: Officer

Police have yet to start probe on Suwondo: Officer

JAKARTA (JP): The police gave conflicting statements on the
progress of the investigation into the State Logistics Agency
(Bulog) scandal, in contrast to the statement made by the lawyer
representing Alip Agung Suwondo, a suspect in the multibillion
rupiah scandal.

Jakarta Police detectives chief Sr. Supt. Harry Montolalu said
the police had not questioned the 43-year-old suspect, also known
as An Peng Sui, in connection with the controversial disbursement
of Rp 35 billion (US$3.9 million) by Bulog's Yanatera employee
foundation.

"We're still waiting for the medical opinion from the team of
doctors that Suwondo is fit to undergo questioning," Harry told
reporters at Jakarta Police Headquarters.

"A medical opinion is necessary if we don't want to see the
dossiers (of the case) ruled inadmissible," Harry said.

A team of doctors from the National Police said earlier on
Monday that Suwondo was mentally competent, while another team of
doctors from the city police's medical center said on Tuesday
that they were awaiting the results of Suwondo's physical
examination.

Suwondo's lawyer Denny Azani B. Latief, however, insisted that
the probe on his client had already begun.

"Suwondo has been questioned by the police since yesterday
(Tuesday)," Denny said at police headquarters after visiting his
client.

He added that Suwondo's lawyers were present during the
questioning.

Denny said that police investigators had asked his client
questions concerning, among other things, the distribution of the
money he had received from Yanatera.

However, Denny refused to elaborate further about the
investigators' other questions to Suwondo, who was the personal
masseur of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Denny also said that Suwondo was fit and ready to undergo
questioning.

"His toothache is better and he's not that stressed out
anymore after his family visited him," Denny said.

"Suwondo himself said that he was ready for questioning."

Police earlier disclosed that after receiving the funds from
Bulog deputy chief Sapuan in January, Suwondo distributed Rp 25
billion to other parties for various purposes while keeping the
rest for himself.

Police said Suwondo had given Rp 15 billion to Suko Sudarso,
an official of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), Rp 5 billion to businesswoman Siti Farika, who has
family links with the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization,
once chaired by Abdurrahman, and the remaining Rp 5 billion to
Leo Purnomo, reportedly an associate of the President.

Sapuan, who is also a suspect in the case, insisted that
Suwondo had been acting on behalf of the President.

On Tuesday, former Minister of Industry and Trade and ex-Bulog
chief Jusuf Kalla testified before the South Jakarta District
Court that it was Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab who first informed
him that monies had been disbursed by Yanatera via Suwondo. (jaw)