Rachman faces further claim of hiding wealth

Rachman faces further claim of hiding wealth

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A little-known state prosecutor has accused embattled Attorney
General M.A. Rachman of further irregularities in his wealth
report.

Kito Irkamini told journalists on Thursday that Rachman
ordered him to buy a Kia Carnival car with just Rp 100 million
and a Toyota Soluna sedan with no down payment at all.

"I had to cover the balance for the Carnival purchase myself,
but Rachman declared he owed money on the vehicles in his wealth
report. He has also yet to repay my Rp 120 million to buy the
Soluna," he said.

He was accompanied by three high-profile corruption defense
lawyers: Hotma Sitompul, Ruhut Sitompul and Tommy Sihotang.

Kita, who built Rachman's controversial house in Graha Cinere,
Depok, claimed Rachman still owed him Rp 1 billion, including Rp
480 million for the house.

"He demoted me to be the head of general crimes division in
Sungai Liat prosecutors' office in Bangka-Belitung province, but
the post is not vacant," he said.

He promised to reveal everything he knew about Rachman to the
Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) officials on
Friday.

Rachman is under fire amid corruption allegations and
allegations he misreported details in his wealth report to KPKPN,
including failing to disclose the luxury house.

In addition to Kito, KPKPN will also interview Rachman's
daughter Chairunnisa, a dentist, to clarify details of the
ownership of the house.

On Thursday, KPKPN questioned businessman Husain Tanoto who
claimed to have bought the Rp 5 billion house from Chairunnisa
last January for Rp 950 million in cash.

"But the ownership had yet been transferred from Chairunnisa
to Husain, because the former still has to renovate the fences
and the staircase," KPKPN official Rudjuan Dartono said.

However, he said, Chairunnisa claimed payment for the house
was in form of medical equipment.

"Chairunnisa has to clarify further next Tuesday."

Last week, KPKPN summoned Rachman to explain about the
undeclared house.

Rachman said the house had been given to his oldest daughter
Chairunnisa who later sold it to Husain Tanoto because she needed
money to establish her own medical practice.

A KPKPN investigation team also questioned where funds from
two bank accounts were sourced. One account contains Rp 545.6
million and the second US$29,600. The money was deposited in the
accounts between 1999 and 2001 while Rachman was still the deputy
attorney general for general crimes.

Rachman told the investigation team that some of the money was
"thank you notes" from East Java businesspeople.

As pressure mounts on Rachman to step down, top prosecutors at
the Attorney General's Office on Thursday expressed support for
Rachman.

"We are solid and maintain support for the leadership of
Rachman," acting vice attorney general Bachtiar Fachri Nasution
said during a press conference.

Also present were deputy attorney general for intelligence
Basrief Arief, deputy attorney general for special crimes Haryadi
B. Widyasa, deputy attorney general for discipline Ahmad Lopa,
deputy attorney general for development Zukri and Jakarta
Prosecutors' Office chief Muljohardjo.