Six years in jail sought for regent
Six years in jail sought for regent
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau
Prosecutors requested on Monday a six-year sentence for the
regent of the Riau Islands, Riau province, in a corruption case
involving Rp 3.4 billion (US$3.9 million).
Reading out the charges against Huzrin Hood, prosecutor
Firmansyah also asked that the Tanjung Pinang District Court fine
him Rp 200 million and immediately detain the defendant, who had
been released earlier, despite the charges against him.
Huzrin has been accused of violating Law No. 31/1999 on fight
against corruption.
The regent must also return the Rp 3.4 billion he allegedly
amassed for his personal fortune, Firmansyah said, and should
Huzrin fail to repay the money, the court should hand him an
additional two years in jail.
The prosecutors explained that the heavier sentences were
prompted by the defendant, who provided twisted statements during
the trial.
Huzrin was also found carrying a firearm to his first
appearance at court, and failed to set a good example as a
regent, Firmansyah added.
The regent has been charged with embezzling from the 2001
budget for the Riau Islands regency.
Prosecutors have already confiscated a store belonging to
Huzrin's wife and his five private cars.
Hendie Devitra, one of the defense lawyers, dismissed the
charges and said there were underlying political motives against
his client.
"The charges laid by the prosecutors are very subjective.
Everything is based on their point of view. Just wait for our
defense," he said.
The panel of six judges -- presiding judge S. Joko Sungkowo,
J. Purba, Yus E. Nidar, Bambang Edi and Syahlan -- adjourned the
hearing until Aug. 25, when the defendant and his lawyers will
present their plea.
As at previous hearings, some 800 people attended court on
Monday to hear the indictment against Huzrin.
Most of the visitors were Huzrin's backers, who packed the
courtroom to show support for the defendant. Shortly after judges
adjourned Monday's hearing -- held at the Kaca Puri Sports
Building in Tanjung Pinang -- they broke into a song of support
for the defendant.
Around 100 police officers were on guard at the trial, which
was covered by at least 30 journalists from both print and
electronic media.
The trial opened on June 23, 2003, with at least 17 witnesses
delivering their testimonies at court.
The corruption case surfaced after the Supreme Audit Body
filed a report on irregularities involving at least Rp 87.2
billion of the 2001 budget for the Riau Islands.
However, the Riau High Prosecutor's Office found that only Rp
3.4 billion were allegedly misused.
The vast disparity between the figures provided by the
auditing body and the Riau Prosecutor's Office was apparently a
result of their different auditing criteria.
Huzrin had been detained by the Riau prosecutors in May 2003
for five days at Pekanbaru prison for being uncooperative.
He was then taken to the Tanjung Pinang Prosecutor's Office,
which later suspended his detention after the suspect paid Rp 175
million in "assurance money" -- to guarantee that he would not
evade the law -- to the local prosecutors.