Ten years sought for ex-Bapindo boss

JAKARTA (JP): Government prosecutors yesterday urged a Jakarta court to sentence Subekti Ismaun, former president of Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo), to 10 years imprisonment for his alleged role in a Rp 1.3 trillion ($620 million) loan scam.

Tarwo Hadi Sadjuri, the chief prosecutor, told the South Jakarta District Court that Subekti, individually and collectively with other Bapindo directors, was responsible for the huge losses inflicted on the state bank.

The defendant also helped to enrich a third party, he said, in an apparent reference to Eddy Tansil, the businessman to whom the huge Bapindo loans were extended.

The prosecution, which is accusing Subekti of corruption, also urged the court to order Subekti to a fine of Rp 30 million ($13,700), or sentence him to an additional six months in prison, he added.

In addition, the prosecutors wanted the court to declare various assets, including a house in the exclusive Kebayoran Baru area in South Jakarta, two cars, Rp 1.3 billion ($620,896.2) in cash, and the money in Subekti's bank accounts as state property.

The prosecutors said Subekti in his dealing with Tansil violated a number of banking principles and standard procedures, allowing Tansil to cash in on huge loans.

Subekti, according to the prosecution, failed to exercise the caution required of a bank president in approving huge loans to Tansil. For example, Subekti approved the loans without requiring Tansil to sign a loan contract.

Tansil, the owner of the Golden Key Group, has already been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for his role. A junior Bapindo executive is serving a nine year prison term and three other former Bapindo directors are also on trial on the same charges. (imn)