Sjahrizal sees his defense falling apart
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)