Puteh goes on trial as tsunami devastates Aceh

Puteh goes on trial as tsunami devastates Aceh

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

As thousands of Acehnese were killed in the most devastating
natural disaster in the country's history, Aceh Governor Abdullah
Puteh went on trial on Monday on corruption charges in Jakarta.

During his first hearing at the Anticorruption Court, a team
of prosecutors charged the 56-year-old governor for his role in a
scam involving the purchase of a Russian helicopter that cost the
state at least Rp 10.8 billion (US$1.2 million) in 2001.

Chief prosecutor Khaidir Ramli told the court the defendant
had ordered the purchase of an Mi-2 helicopter, which was not
part of his administration's expenditure and without the consent
of Aceh Provincial Legislative Council.

Puteh is also charged with illegally slashing Rp 700 million
off the state budget allocated for each of 13 regental and
municipal administrations in the province to pay for the
helicopter.

According to the charges, Puteh deposited Rp 4 billion of the
Aceh provincial budget in his personal bank account.

Puteh illegally diverted Rp 35 billion from routine spending
and Rp 9.1 billion from the special funds allocated by the
central government for the regional administrations in Aceh, the
team of prosecutors said.

"The defendant is charged under Article 2 paragraph 1 of Law
No 31/1999 on corruption eradication," Khaidir said. The crime
carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Wearing a dark suit and kopiah (Muslim cap), Puteh read a
prepared speech outlining his personal objection to the
indictment.

During the hearing led by Judge Krishna Menon, dozens of
spectators applauded when Puteh said the indictment was obscure.

Outside the courtroom in a hall on the ground floor of Upindo
Building on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta, dozens of people
demanded Puteh's release.

"It was my policy that Aceh remain a part of the Unitary State
of Indonesia," Puteh said, insisting that no procedures were
violated in the purchase of the helicopter.

Puteh also asked the panel of judges to postpone his trial,
pending a verdict from the Constitutional Court for a judicial
review request against the law on the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) by businessman Bram HD Manoppo.

Bram, whose company brokered the helicopter deal, has also
been named a suspect by the KPK in the case. He demanded the
judicial review on the grounds that the KPK, which was set up in
2002, had no authority to investigate a case that took place in
2001.

Puteh claimed he did not cut the regental budget in Aceh,
saying that the regents had voluntarily allocated Rp 700 million
each for the purchase of the helicopter, which was needed to help
Puteh move swiftly from one place to another to monitor
developments in the restive province.

Puteh's wife Linda Poernomo and father-in-law Bambang Poernomo
attended the hearing.

After the hearing Puteh prayed for an end to prolonged armed
conflict in the province and his trial.

Linda, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso as the chair of the
Association of Governors, and Puteh's lawyers have offered their
personal guarantee that Puteh will not flee, in order that he be
released from detention during the trial.