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)