Prison warders go on trial for Tansil escape

JAKARTA (JP): The East Jakarta District Court yesterday heard the indictment, by a team of prosecutors, of three of the five prison warders charged with helping notorious businessman Eddy Tansil escape from the Cipinang penitentiary on May 4 this year.

Three prosecutors said in their indictments that Mochamad Hasan, Maryono and Suparmo had planned to facilitate Tansil's escape as they had received money from the jailbird.

Two other warders accused of plotting the escape are Suwarno and Dulhadi alias Dudung. Suwarno is to be tried today and Dudung, next week.

The prosecutors' team consisted of Sumirah, Azizul Hakim, and Achmad Sofian.

The indictment said that the three defendants helped arrange the escape of Tansil for Rp 100,000 (US$42.5) each from their superior Dulhadi, the warders' supervisor on the night of the escape.

Hasan and Maryono were doormen at the jail and Suparmo was the penitentiary clerk.

The prosecutors said that if found guilty, the three defendants face a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment each.

The jailbreak occurred just a month after Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman checked the prison's security system, following press reports that Tansil enjoyed special treatment.

Tansil, owner of the Golden Key Group of businesses, was serving a 20-year prison sentence for defrauding Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) of $620 million in 1994. It has been recorded as the largest fraud in Indonesian banking history.

Tansil was thought to have had carefully planned his escape. Besides changing his hairstyle and appearance, there was an unconfirmed report that his wife had gone to Shanghai days before the escape.

According to the dossiers sent by the police to the prosecutor's office, Dudung admitted to receiving a total of Rp 2 million from the businessman. He then shared the money with his colleagues.

Dudung's lawyer Daniel Panjaitan told The Jakarta Post yesterday that Tansil's escape was planned with the knowledge and approval of the prison warders.

"Eddy Tansil had had a 'medical checkup' at least four times before he escaped. He always went out earlier than scheduled," Panjaitan said.

The trial of the three defendants was adjourned until next week.

Seven other prison warders, who are also accused of taking bribes from Tansil, are now under house arrest. (16)