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)