Puteh could face 20 years in jail for corruption

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta/Banda Aceh

Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh will be charged under both the Anticorruption Law and the Criminal Code, which could mean dozens of years in prison, assuming the courts find him guilty.

The indictment says Puteh violated Articles 2 and 3 of Anticorruption Law No. 20/2001 on power abuse to amass personal wealth and Article 55 of the Criminal Code on participation in a crime for his role in the markup of a Russian-made Mi-2 helicopter purchased by his administration in 2002. Each article carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

The Aceh administration bought the helicopter for Rp 12.5 billion rupiah (US$1.3 million), while the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) found that the Indonesian Navy paid only Rp 6.1 billion for a similar aircraft.

KPK member Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean said Puteh's trial could begin by the end of this month.

Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean also said that the three prosecutors preparing the indictment against Puteh -- Chaidir, Wisnu Baroto and Yessy Ismeralda -- would be expected to submit the case file within 14 days, as stipulated by law.

"Based on the Anticorruption Law, the prosecutors have to complete the charges within 14 days, while his detention period won't expire for 20 days," Tumpak explained during a media briefing attended by KPK chairman Taufiqurrahman Ruki.

KPK investigators, who have named Puteh as the key suspect in the graft case, ordered on Tuesday Puteh's detention at Salemba penitentiary.

The detention order also came after the ad hoc anticorruption court made it clear that the trial of Puteh could start as soon as the KPK was ready to bring Puteh to court.

Meanwhile, in Banda Aceh, Puteh's detention did not affect the daily activities of the provincial administration.

"The detention of the governor has no impact on the continuity of our activities in the office. It's business as usual," the provincial administration secretary Tanthawi Ishak said on Wednesday.

Puteh's detention, instead, was hailed by corruption watchdogs in the province, which vowed to unveil more graft cases involving government officials in the province, which is rich in oil, gas and other natural resources.

"I hope the trial of Puteh will reveal the entire network of corruption involving Aceh officials," said Rufriadi, the director of Aceh Judicial Watch.

Deputy speaker of Aceh's provincial legislature Teungku Raihan Iskandar LC hoped Puteh's trial would not be tainted by government or political interests.

"We, Acehnese, feel ashamed by the case. If he is innocent, his name should be restored, but if he is guilty, he must face severe punishment," he said.

Allegations of rampant corruption in Puteh's administration is said to be one of the reasons that the ceasefire signed between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement separatist group fell apart in May last year.

Puteh is also being questioned as a witness in a markup of a power generator purchase by his administration in 2002, which robbed the state Rp 30 billion. That case is not being investigated by the KPK, but instead the National Police.