Prosecution upbeat on Puteh case
Prosecution upbeat on Puteh case
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In an apparent show of confidence, prosecutors said on Tuesday
they would not present more witnesses to testify in the graft
trial of suspended Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh.
"We feel that the witnesses have given enough evidence against
the defendant. Therefore, we do not need to summon other
witnesses to testify," chief prosecutor Khaidir Ramli said after
Wednesday's hearing.
Of the 39 witnesses listed by the prosecutors for the Puteh
trial, only 25 have testified before the Anticorruption Court in
Jakarta, which is trying the case.
Wisnu Broto, another prosecutor, told The Jakarta Post that
the witness testimony given so far had clearly proved the
corruption charges against Puteh.
"They have revealed the flow of money and the use of the
defendant's personal account," he said.
However, Puteh's lawyer, Muhammad Assegaff, denied the
prosecutors' claims, saying that none of the witnesses had
testified to the effect that Puteh was guilty of corruption.
"From the first to the last of the witnesses, there has been
nothing that has incriminated our client. Yes, there may have
been violations of the administrative procedures, but there have
been no indications that corruption has taken place.
"Moreover, the Aceh legislative council accepted Puteh's
accountability report. So, where is the crime?" argued Assegaff.
Puteh is charged under the Anticorruption Law with unlawfully
amassing wealth and could face a maximum sentence of life
imprisonment and/or Rp 1 billion (US$111,000) fine if convicted.
He allegedly marked up the price during the procurement of a
Russian-made helicopter for the Aceh administration in 2001,
thereby defrauding the state of some Rp 10 billion.
The panel of judges adjourned Wednesday's hearing until
Thursday after taking sworn evidence from two witnesses in
absentia -- Tengku Johan, a consultant from the Air Force, and
Munawar, director of the procurement subdivision in the Aceh
administration.
During the hearing, the prosecutors told the court that they
would only summon three experts to testify during the next
session on Thursday. They are Sutrisno Hartono from state-owned
aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Adriansyah from
the Ministry of Finance, and Handoyo Sudrajat from the
Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).
Article 179 of the Criminal Law Procedures Code provides for
the hearing of expert testimony.
However, Puteh's lawyers rejected the prosecutors' plan to
present the experts, saying the court should instead hear all of
the 39 witnesses listed earlier by the prosecution.
"Your honor, we request that all the witnesses be summoned as
the judges previously agreed," said Felix Tampubolon, one of
Puteh's lawyers.
Presiding judge Kresna Menon rebuffed the request, arguing
that the decision whether or not to summon a witness was entirely
up to the prosecution.