Puteh case goes to court next week

Eva C. Komandjaja and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) expects to prosecute Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Governor Abdullah Puteh early next week, while the National Police are wrapping up an investigation into another graft case allegedly involving Puteh.

"We plan to submit his case early next week," Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas of the commission said on Friday.

The KPK detained Puteh after naming him a suspect in the alleged markup in the purchase of a Russian helicopter by the Aceh administration in 2001. The case is thought to have cost the state about Rp 4 billion (US$440,000).

The announcement coincides with the arrival in Jakarta of six judges for the Anti-Corruption Court.

Soeparno, the head of the criminal affairs division at the Supreme Court, said his office had arranged all of the administrative and practical matters for the judges, including their accommodations in Jakarta.

All of the judges for the newly established Anti-Corruption Court, which will be housed under the same roof as the Central Jakarta District Court, are from outside Jakarta.

Separately, the head of the anti-corruption division at the National Police, Brig. Gen. Indarto, said on Friday the police were waiting for some revised data from the Supreme Audit Agency to be used to prosecute Puteh for a separate Rp 30 billion graft case.

Puteh was allegedly involved in a markup on the purchase of power generators in 2002.

The governor was questioned as a witness in this case and denied any involvement in the matter, claiming the purchase had been approved by the Aceh legislative council.

However, Indarto said such purchases had to be approved by all members of the council during a plenary meeting, while the purchase of the generators never went through this process.

"Only the council chairman signed the approval, which means there was a violation in the system that led to the misuse of the funds," Indarto said.

National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung said Puteh would be tried in the generator case in Aceh, along with local businessman William Taylor.

Taylor was the contractor appointed by state electricity firm PLN to carry out the purchases. His testimony led police to question Puteh.

"We hope to finish the investigation of the case within the next 100 days," Indarto said.