Sjahril released, plans to resume BI post: Lawyer

Sjahril released, plans to resume BI post: Lawyer

JAKARTA (JP): Suspended Bank Indonesia Governor Sjahril
Sabirin was released from the custody of the Attorney General's
Office on Tuesday and plans to resume his old position, a lawyer
said.

"This is a surprise and it is very good news for us. The
official letter for his release was issued by Assistant for
Special Crimes to the Jakarta Provincial Prosecutor's Office
chief Andi Syarifuddin," Mohammad Assegaf told The Jakarta Post.

"He plans to resume his position as central bank governor. If
he has to, he'll fight to get his post back," he said.

Sjahril's immediate plans, Assegaf said, include a scheduled
visit to the central bank on Wednesday.

Sjahril was suspected of violating the central bank's
prudential principle in its policy to reimburse a Rp 904 billion
(US$96 million) interbank loan guaranteed by the government in
connection with the Bank Bali scandal.

Prosecutor Andi confirmed on Tuesday that he had signed
release letter No. 2296/0.1.5/FD.1/12/2000 and that he felt the
suspect's release was justified.

"Sjahril still has to report to the Attorney General's Office
every Monday. He was released due to an official guarantee given
by his lawyers and the central bank board of governors," Andi
told the Post.

"Besides, his arrest ends on Wednesday night. I have informed
this matter to my superior, Jakarta Provincial Prosecutor's
Office chief Bachtiar Fachri Nasution. He should inform the
attorney general on that matter."

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, however, said that as far
as he knew, the arrest status ended on Tuesday.

"I'm sure that the arrest status ends on Tuesday. In any case,
his arrest status can no longer be extended because it has
expired. He is therefore no longer in the custody of the
prosecutors," Marzuki told the Post.

Marzuki added that prosecutors had yet to submit Sjahril's
dossier to the Central Jakarta District Court, even though the
house arrest term pending the trial had ended.

"The suspect is officially a free man. The decision whether
Sjahril will get his post back is up to the bank's board of
governors. It's not up to us to lift his suspension, even if we
were asked to," Marzuki said.

"There is no deal with any party to make it possible for
Sjahril to get his job back."

Marzuki said although Sjahril was no longer in the custody of
his office, prosecutors planned to soon submit the case's dossier
to the Central Jakarta District Court. He did not give a date.

"We will not let the case go. We have worked all this time to
take Sjahril to court," he said.

After prosecutors reverted his status to house arrest, Sjahril
left the Attorney General's Office after a three-month
confinement on Sept. 22. The decision came after Sjahril's
lawyers submitted a plea for an arrest cessation on that day.

It was the third such request submitted since Sjahril was
placed in detention on June 21.

The house arrest notification was signed by Director of
Investigation Sudibyo Saleh and was valid until Oct. 18.

Prosecutors had also extended Sjahril's arrest by 30 days,
starting from Sept. 19 and lasting until Oct. 18.

It was extended to Nov. 6, and then to Dec. 6, the date the
arrest pending the trial ends. (ylt/bby)