Prosecutors named for Ginandjar's case

JAKARTA: The Attorney General's Office has set up a new team to resume investigation into alleged graft involving the deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Ginandjar Kartasasmita, when he was minister of mines and energy between 1992 and 1995.

The office's spokesman Barman Zahir told reporters on Monday that the team comprised prosecutors M. Fachmi, Y.W. Mere, M. Farella and Febrian. They replaced the former joint civilian- military team led by Barman.

"The former team must be replaced since it no longer has the authority to probe the case," Barman said.

Ginandjar, who had been named a corruption suspect in connection with a technical assistance contract he endorsed between PT Ultraindo Petro Gas and state oil and gas company Pertamina which caused the state US$24.8 million in losses, was detained in April last year.

He was later released after he won concessions in the pretrial hearing at the South Jakarta District Court. The Supreme Court revoked the verdict earlier this month.

As the new team will decide whether to detain Ginandjar, a lawyer of the suspect, Muchyar Yara, said his client was currently in Germany with his wife who will have surgery.

"I have not yet obtained the copy of the Supreme Court's verdict, but we may request a judicial review of the verdict," he told reporters. -- JP