Police summons Suripto for graft

Police summons Suripto for graft

JAKARTA: Police said on Wednesday they had summoned a former top forestry ministry official for questioning as a suspect in a graft case involving the purchase of two helicopters.

"Yesterday we sent a summons to Suripto to report for questioning tomorrow (Thursday)," said Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bahrul Alam.

Suripto was ministry secretary-general during the presidency of Abdurrahman Wahid from 1999 to 2001.

Alam told reporters that "the investigators have enough evidence to summon him as a suspect."

Wahid accused Suripto of plotting to overthrow him and dismissed him. Suripto at the time denied Wahid's allegations.

The former forestry official will be questioned over a suspected mark-up in the purchase of two helicopters by the ministry.

Alam did not say when the purchase was made but said the tender was worth Rp 90 billion (US$10 million.)

He said 28 witnesses have been questioned in connection with the case so far. The head of the company that won the tender has also been named a suspect, Alam said. --AFP