Sjahrizal sees his defense falling apart

JAKARTA (JP): The defense of the former Bapindo directors on trial for corruption fell apart further yesterday after several more people testified that then minister J.B. Sumarlin did leave for Irian Jaya on June 2, 1992.

An official of the Pelita Air Service yesterday testified in the trial of former Bapindo director Sjahrizal that Sumarlin left Jakarta on the morning of June 2 for Irian Jaya, and not a day later as the defense lawyers sought to prove in court.

Sjahrizal has insisted that he met with Sumarlin on that particular day and that he was given a specific order for the government-owned bank to continue its lending to businessman Eddy Tansil despite the huge risk involved.

Sumarlin last week testified in court that he flew to Irian Jaya on the said date and called Sjahrizal's allegation "a vicious slander and evil conspiracy" concocted by the former Bapindo directors to relieve them of their responsibility.

Sjahrizal has insisted that the June 2 meeting with Sumarlin did in fact take place and that he even remembered the suit and color of the tie Sumarlin was wearing on that day.

Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) was nearly bankrupted through its dealing with Tansil. The businessman has already been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment and now four of its directors are being tried for their purported collaboration with Tansil.

Sjahrizal's lawyers came armed yesterday with a copy of Pelita's chart on June 2 which suggested that Sumarlin flew out of Jakarta on one of its planes on that day at 23.00 GMT.

They said that this meant Sumarlin left on June 3 Western Indonesian Time.

Double standard

However, Agus Suwarsono, the Marketing Manager of Pelita Air Service, told the court yesterday that the airline adopts a double standard flight timing, with the date referring to the Indonesian date and the time referring to the Greenwich mean time.

This, Agus said, meant that Sumarlin left on June 2 at 0600 hours Western Indonesian Time.

Two journalists and two Pelita flight crew members have also testified in court that they were part of Sumarlin's entourage that left for Jayapura on June 2.

Sjahrizal's lawyers however refused to accept the testimony and demanded to summon the Director General for Air Transportation Zainuddin Sikado to explain the discrepancy between the date and the flight schedule.

Mohammad Assegaf, who is heading Sjahrizal's defense team, said he had a statement from Zainuddin who interpreted the Pelita flight schedule as meaning that the said flight left on June 3, 06.00 hours Western Indonesian Time.

The court however rejected the statement and told Assegaf that if the defense wanted Zainuddin's statement, it should be done before the court. (imn)