'Reveal identities' of check recipients

'Reveal identities' of check recipients

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyer Muhammad Assegaf demanded on Tuesday that
prosecutors find out more about the recipients of checks issued
by legislator Suko Sudarso in connection with the disbursement of
Rp 15 billion (US$1.6 million) out of the Rp 35 billion State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) scandal.

"We must know where all that money went. It is necessary,"
Assegaf, a lawyer for defendant Sapuan, told the South Jakarta
District Court immediately after testimony by a witness from
Citibank.

"I cannot reveal certain aspects of nameless Citibank checks
written out by a witness in this case. It violates banking
regulations," Citibank official Hengky Yahya told the hearing,
presided over by judge Lalu Mariyun.

Hengky was speaking in reference to five of 31 Citibank
checks, all issued by Suko of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) between January and May this year.

The 31 checks reportedly totaled Rp 14 billion. Assegaf said
the court was entitled to know where all those checks had gone.

Suko claimed in an initial hearing that the Rp 14 billion
belonged to Hendri Arioseno, a land broker who had asked Suko to
clear a Rp 15 billion Bank Bukopin check into Suko's own Citibank
account, "for safekeeping" on Jan. 24.

The Bukopin check was one of four -- totaling Rp 35 billion
from the Bulog employee-owned foundation, Yanatera -- which were
handed over by Sapuan, then Bulog deputy chairman, to suspect
Suwondo, an acquaintance of President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur"
Wahid.

Suwondo gave the Rp 15 billion check to Hendri, allegedly for
the purchase of land in Cianjur Selatan, West Java.

Suko said at an earlier hearing that by May this year, he had
returned Rp 14 billion to Hendri by "issuing about 30 checks"
from his Citibank account.

"After Suko deposited the Bukopin check into his account, he
wrote out (31) crossed checks and cash checks. Some were written
out to only bank account numbers," Hengky told the hearing.

"I cannot reveal their identity until I receive legal
permission from the recipients."

Judge Lalu then asked the witness why some checks only carried
bank account numbers, and no identity of the recipient or
recipients.

Hengky answered that there was no "special preferences" on the
matter and that the revelation of the identities only needed the
permission of the customers involved.

In a police report dated June 14 this year, Suko told police
investigators that other than Maya Wisnu, who was his daughter,
he had no knowledge of the remaining recipients of the checks.

"I issued those checks, signed in my name, and gave them to
Hendri. I don't know where they went," he told the police.

According to the report, Suko was shown 31 checks signed in
his name, which were cashed by Hendri Arioseno, Hartati Edi P.,
Gunawan, Ronny Triadi Guntoro, Stanley Arief, Maya wisnu W.,
Hardjono, and five unnamed persons.

When asked if the crossed checks and cash checks were his and
were signed by him, Suko said: "Yes, you're right".

In a police report dated June 6, Suko gave detailed accounts
of the amount of the checks, and the dates he issued the checks.

On Jan. 26, for example, Suko withdrew Rp 10 million; on Jan.
27, he withdrew Rp 50 million; on Jan. 28, Rp 900 million, and on
Jan. 31, Rp 6 billion was deposited in six accounts, each
receiving Rp 1 billion, all in Suko's name.

On the same date, Suko made three withdrawals totaling Rp 200
million. (ylt)