Suwondo returns Rp 10b of Bulog's money: Police

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's masseur, Suwondo, handed over Rp 10 billion on Tuesday as the first installment of the Rp 35 billion (US$4.1 million) in funds he secured from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), a police officer said.

"Suwondo, through his wife Teti Sunarti, returned Rp 10 billion of Yanatera's (Bulog's employees foundation) funds today," city police detectives chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo told reporters at his office.

Suwondo signed an agreement on May 24 that he was willing to repay the entire Rp 35 billion by the end of next month at the latest.

Alex did not mention how the payment was made, but said it was delivered to National Police Headquarters.

He only mentioned that it might be difficult to regain the remaining Rp 25 billion as it had been distributed to three different parties.

Earlier media reports said Rp 15 billion went to a bank account of deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI Perjuangan) research and development department head Suko Sudarso, another Rp 5 billion to an account of Leo Purnomo, a staff member at Air Wagon (AWAIR) air freight, reportedly owned by president Abdurrahman, and the other Rp 5 billion to an account of Siti Farika, a Central Java-based businesswoman.

Suwondo, Purnomo and Farika are now at large, while Suko testified before city police detectives on both Monday and Tuesday over the Rp 15 billion transfer.

Separately, a lawyer of Suko, Petrus Llayona, hinted on Tuesday that city police would temporarily cease questioning his client over the Bulog scam.

"Police have every right to seize the controversial Rp 15 billion and the 200 hectares of land in South Cianjur as evidence in the case. Suko has nothing to do with the case," Petrus told reporters.

Suko has been questioned over the withdrawal of Rp 15 billion of the total Rp 35 billion from the Citibank branch on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta on Jan. 20.

Suko earlier claimed that the money belonged to Hendrie Arioseno, a friend who did not want to put the money into his own Bank Bali account, since the bank "had its own share of problems."

Alex said the Rp 15 billion was allegedly used to pay for the purchase of 200 hectares of land in South Cianjur, West Java, which was to be used by Suwondo to build a garden house.

The purchase of the land took place on Jan. 5 this year.

Hendrie, who showed up on Monday evening at city police headquarters to testify as a witness, told reporters that he sold the land to Suwondo on Jan. 5 and received the money as payment for the land.

"Where that money came from is none of my business. I buy and sell land; that's my business," Hendrie told reporters on Monday night.

Petrus, in turn, said that from the start to date, all 138 land certificates of the 200 hectares of the South Cianjur land were in the possession of a notary public, identified only as Ali Maksum, who lives on Jl. Mesjid in South Cianjur.

"All media reports which stated that those certificates were put up as collateral by Suwondo and handed to Sapuan, so that Sapuan could disburse the Rp 35 billion loan are nonsense," Petrus said.

"All those certificates are still in the hands of Ali Maksum."

Suko has so far been questioned as a witness (not a suspect as reported in Tuesday's paper), in connection with the scam.

Meanwhile, Alex said he would call Suko whenever the police needed additional information from him.

"We can call him anytime. I have yet to see the 200 hectares of land and seize it," Alex said.

Police have declared only three suspects in the Bulog case, namely Suwondo, Bulog deputy chief Sapuan and Yanatera chairman Mulyono.

Sapuan told a hearing with House Commission III for agriculture and plantations last Friday that he agreed to disburse the Rp 35 billion from Yanatera after he was directly asked by President Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, during a meeting on Jan. 7.

The money was then sent to Suwondo, who put up his 200-hectare land in South Cianjur as collateral, which was said to be a loan, the lawyer said.

"But, Sapuan so far only holds land certificates for 80 hectares," Isnul Tandjung, Sapuan's lawyer, said.

Petrus told reporters on Tuesday that he did not know which certificates Isnul was talking about, since all the land certificates of the 200 hectares of land in South Cianjur, were in the hands of Ali Maksum.

In a related development, Alex Bambang told reporters that palace official Wahyu Muryadi had been invited for questioning on Wednesday as a witness.

"He should come along on Wednesday morning. I just want to know whether he really escorted Sapuan to have a face-to-face meeting with Gus Dur on Jan. 7 ... and some other things also," Alex said. (ylt)