Puteh gets 10 years in jail for corruption
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's anticorruption drive was given a boost on Monday with the conviction and 10-year jail sentence given to suspended Nanggroe Aceh Darrusalam governor Abdullah Puteh for the illegal mark-up of a helicopter purchase.
In addition to the jail term, Puteh may lose his job as Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf said the central government would soon dismiss him as the Aceh governor.
"We have already suspended him. After the court verdict; we will proceed in accordance with the existing law," Ma'ruf said.
Judges at the Anticorruption Court were unanimous in declaring Puteh guilty of graft in the 2001 purchase of a Russian-made MI-2 helicopter for the province, which caused the state to lose more than Rp 3.6 billion (US$400.800).
The presiding judge, Kresna Menon, read out the verdict at a hearing which Puteh, who is in hospital recovering from a operation on March 31, missed.
Aside from ordering Puteh to return the total embezzled amount of Rp 3.6875 billion to the state, the court also required him to pay 500 million in fines or spend an additional six months in jail.
"We order the defendant to remain in prison and return all the missing money," Kresna said.
The verdict was harsher than the eight years' jail sought by prosecutors for Puteh, although the penalty for graft carries a maximum life sentence.
Over the objection of his defense, the bench ordered the trial to continue without the presence of the defendant, citing Law No 4/2004 on Judiciary Institutions, which says a verdict can be pronounced in the absence of the defendant.
The decision triggered a walk-out by Puteh's team of defense lawyers. "Your honor, before this session continues, we'd like to express our thoughts and stance toward the decision," Juan Felix Tampubolon, one of the defense lawyers, said.
Juan said the presence of the defendant during the session was imperative because after the verdict was delivered, the presiding judge had to read the convict his rights.
"Our presence here is not to represent the defendant, but to assist. Therefore, our presence here is unnecessary. With all due respect, we would like to leave the court," Juan said.
After the session, Puteh's prosecutors said they would inform the defendant of the verdict on the same day in accordance with judicial procedure.
Analysts have commented that the trial would be a test case for President Susilo's government and its commitment to fighting graft involving high-ranking government officials.
The coordinator of the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), Teten Masduki, applauded the verdict. Teten said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Anticorruption Court had got off to a good start, supplanting the functions of the Attorney General's Office and the courts,
"This was something incredible," he told The Jakarta Post.
Although Puteh was given only a 10-year jail term for corruption the verdict was a breakthrough, he said.
Compared with cases involving other high-ranking officials who have remained on the loose, this is incredible."
During an earlier session on April 4, Puteh failed to turn up due to health reasons after undergoing surgery. Dr. Asnath V. Savitri of MH Thamrin Hospital had earlier signed a medical certificate, revealing indications of epididymitis, a secondary bacterial infection that could be triggered by a range of conditions, such as urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted diseases, and varicocele.
Puteh's personal's urologist, Dr. Bachrium, issued a handwritten note at that time advising that his client not be moved until the swelling around his surgical wound had disappeared, a process that should have taken until April 9. (004)