Sjahril files lawsuit

Sjahril files lawsuit

JAKARTA (JP): Suspended Bank Indonesia governor Sjahril
Sabirin has filed a pretrial lawsuit against the Attorney
General's Office over his arrest status, a South Jakarta District
Court official said on Monday.

M. Yusuf, a clerk at the court, said the court's officials
were studying the plea.

Sjahril's lawyers said the arrest of their client, who is
detained at the Attorney General's Office, was aimed at
intimidating Sjahril rather than facilitating a smooth
investigation.

"It's proven by several facts in Sjahril's diary he made
during his detention," his lawyers, Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara,
Sulistio and Reza Fanjasmoro said in a statement.

The lawyers also claimed that the Attorney General's Office
was not entitled to extend the detention period of their client.
They added that the office's decision to name Sjahril a suspect
in the Bank Bali scandal "did not have any legal base".

"It's the responsibility of a district court, not the
prosecutors, to decide on an extension.

"We ask the court to annul Sjahril's arrest status and the
extension of the arrest period," they said.

Sjahril was named a suspect in the bank scandal on June 6 and
was taken into custody two weeks later to avoid the possibility
of fleeing, destroying evidence or committing similar crimes.

He has been accused of violating the central bank's prudential
policy in reimbursing interbank loans guaranteed by the
government, which has caused losses to the state. (bby)