Prosecutor demands jail term for exam leak defendant

JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor demanded on Wednesday a one-year jail term for defendant Dwi Santoso who is accused of stealing the master copies of the national high school final examinations (Ebtanas) last March.

"The defendant violated Article 362 of the Criminal Code on stealing," prosecutor So'imah told the Central Jakarta District Court, presided over by judge M. Daning Sunusi.

Prosecutors earlier charged 25-year-old Dwi under Article 362 and Article 322 of the Criminal Code, the latter of which deals with the deliberate divulging of confidential information gained by virtue of one's employment.

Article 362 carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison, while Article 322 carries a maximum punishment of nine months in prison.

After So'imah made the demand, Dwi told the hearing that he regretted his actions deeply.

"I really regret what I did, and I admit I did it. Again, I had not done it on my account. I had been told to do it. Still, I did it and I'm very, very sorry," Dwi said in a soft voice.

The papers were allegedly leaked by the defendant, who worked for about three years as an office boy at the Directorate General of Elementary and Secondary Education (Dikdasmen), the Ministry of National Education.

The three days of examinations for high school students were held from May 22 until May 24.

Dwi said that Yeni Daryani, a committee member of the final examination project, ordered him to steal the copies because she was jealous of witness Sri Yudiani.

Sri Yudiani is the subdivision head of systems and procedures at the directorate general, a position Yeni had long coveted, Dwi told the initial hearing.

"On March 27, Yeni showed me carton 28, which was located among several others in the conference room, from which I had to take the exams from," Dwi told the hearing.

Yeni is being questioned by city police detectives as a suspect.

Dwi said he stole the papers on March 30, as instructed by Yeni, who also told him to sell the papers to ruin Sri's name.

"I sold the papers according to her instructions. I made Rp 4 million in total and I used that money," he said.

In the initial hearing, students stated that curiosity had led them to buy the copies from Dwi.

"My classmate Sari told me that Dwi had these copies of the examinations. I was curious. (I wanted to know) whether he really had them or not," Yudhi, a former student of the Association of Jakarta Christian Schools (PSKD) IV in Melawai, South Jakarta, told the hearing, presided over by judge M. Daning Sunusi.

Yudhi said Dwi charged him Rp 200,000 (US$23) for each subject's exam.

"As a down payment, I paid him Rp 50,000 for the biology paper and Rp 100,000 for the mathematics one. After the exams, Dwi followed me and I told him that he was right. I paid him the remaining sum, about Rp 400,000 altogether," Yudhi said.

Dwi will read out his written defense at the next court session scheduled for Nov. 15. (ylt)