Puteh continues to deny markup

Puteh continues to deny markup

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Abdullah Puteh, the suspended governor of tsunami-ravaged Aceh
currently on trial for graft in the purchase of a Russian-made
chopper, rejected on Monday all charges against him as legally
baseless.

"The accusation by Erry Riyana of the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) that I marked up the price of the helicopter has
not been brought up in court," Puteh said.

Earlier in the investigation into Puteh, the KPK alleged that
he marked up the price of the MI-2 helicopter to Rp 12.6 billion
(US$1.3 million), pointing out that the Navy had bought a similar
chopper for only Rp 6 billion.

But KPK prosecutors have not mentioned during the trial how
much the Aceh administration should have paid for the chopper.

"It was not mentioned at all in the indictment against me,"
Puteh told the Anticorruption Court.

The prosecutors charged Puteh with violating purchasing
procedures by depositing Rp 4 billion from the Aceh provincial
administration, which he said was a down payment for the chopper,
in his personal account.

The prosecution demanded that the Anticorruption Court jail
Puteh for eight years and fine him Rp 500 million, or add six
months to his prison sentence, and that he be ordered to repay Rp
10.6 billion to the state for losses incurred.

In response, the 56-year-old defendant said the prosecution
failed to note the contents of the contract between the Aceh
administration and the Russian manufacturer, which stipulated
that the first payment was only 30 percent, the Rp 4 billion.

"It was the same amount as transferred to my (personal)
account," Puteh said.

After 45 minutes of reading out his defense plea, Puteh
abruptly asked that the hearing be suspended for 10 minutes to
give him time to rest. Puteh had not returned to the stand by the
time the judges were ready to resume the hearing.

"Your honor, after considering the physical condition of the
defendant, who could not even walk to this courtroom, I suggest
you consider adjourning this session," chief prosecutor Khaidir
Ramly told the judges.

A doctor from the nearby MMC Hospital was called into the
defendant's waiting room and confirmed that Puteh's blood
pressure was high and recommended that the defendant be given
time to rest.

Chief judge Kresna Menon eventually adjourned the trial until
Thursday to continue hearing Puteh's defense plea.

Outside the courtroom, about 200 of Puteh's supporters, who
claimed to be members of the Merah Putih legion, staged a rally
to give moral support to the suspended governor.

They sang national songs and accused the authorities of
engineering Puteh's graft trial, saying the case was not meant to
uphold justice but was merely a political showdown. (006)