Puteh faces new charge of malfeasance
Puteh faces new charge of malfeasance
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) Prosecutor's Office named on Wednesday suspended governor Abdullah Puteh and the head of the provincial legal and public relations bureau, A. Hamid Zein, as suspects in a Rp 4.13 billion (US$475,773) graft case.
Aceh Chief Prosecutor Andi Amir Achmad said the two suspects were charged with malfeasance involving the 2004 provincial budget to pay for the lawyers representing Puteh during his ongoing trial on corruption charges in Jakarta.
Puteh went on trial in late December charged with stealing Rp 12 billion in state money during the procurement of a Russian- made MI-2 helicopter in 2001. On Wednesday, the Anticorruption Court postponed the handing down of its verdict to April 11 after Puteh failed to turn up for the court session, pleading ill health.
Andi said the Rp 4.13 billion had been siphoned off from additional budget funding allocated to the province's legal aid fund, which accounts for 86 percent of the legal and public relations bureau's spending.
The budget was supposed to be used for pro bono cases, that is, for the defense of people who are unable to pay for lawyers, as well as civil cases involving state institutions.
"Therefore, Puteh should not have used the money as he is being tried in his capacity as an individual," Andi was quoted as saying by Antara.
The malfeasance was discovered while the prosecutors were investigating five officials from the local administration in another case of budget corruption.
Andi said more suspects could yet be charged as the investigation was still underway, including the councillors who approved the additional funding allocation for the legal bureau. The original budget had earmarked only Rp 90 million for the bureau.
"We will see how far the councillors were involved in this graft case. We really wonder what prompted them to approve such a huge revision," Andi said.
In Jakarta, the Anticorruption Court decided to delay handing down its verdict after doctors from the MH Thamrin Hospital submitted a medical certificate for Puteh.
"Actually, the verdict could be read out in the absence of the defendant. However, after considering the medical certificate and a handwritten note from the defendant's urologist, the court has decided to postpone delivering its verdict until 9 a.m. on Monday, April 11, 2005," said presiding judge Kresna Menon.
The medical certificate, signed by Dr. Asnath V. Savitri, revealed indications of epididymitis (a secondary bacterial infection that can be triggered by a range of conditions, such as urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted diseases) and varicocele (a mass of enlarged veins that develops in the spermatic cord). It said that Puteh had been suffering symptoms of these since undergoing surgery on March 31.
A note issued by Puteh's personal urologist, Dr. Bachrium, advised that the defendant not be moved until the swelling around his surgical wound disappeared, a process which could take until April 9.
Prosecutor Khaidir Ramli told reporters that he had already asked Dr. Asnath about Puteh's condition. "He has undergone surgery for his varicose veins, not his prostate as was earlier reported," said Khaidir.
Puteh received a visit from former President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid on Tuesday evening. Gus Dur said his visit was to give moral support to the governor.
"I visited Bang Puteh because I have known him for a long time. He has also been my good friend for a long time. As to the verdict, that's up to the court," said Gus Dur. (004)