Three council leaders stand trial for graft

Three council leaders stand trial for graft

Jongker Rumthe, The Jakarta Post, Manado

Three newly reelected North Sulawesi councillors stood trial at
the Manado District Court here on Monday on charges of misusing
some Rp 9.6 billion (US$1.06 million) from Manado's 2003 budget.

Day one of the trial saw the defendants; former Manado
municipal legislative councillor speaker JE Tampi from the Golkar
Party and his two deputies -- Jafar Alkatiri from the United
Development Party (PPP) and Jermia Damongilala from the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle -- face a packed
courtroom to hear the prosecutor's opening arguments.

Tampi was recently elected as the North Sulawesi provincial
council speaker and Jermia reelected as a deputy Manado council
speaker, while Jafar was named as the chairman of a joint faction
on the municipal legislature.

Another former deputy speaker of the Manado council, Diyen DB
Wulur, from the military and police faction, will soon be tried
separately for the same case.

Former budget committee members in the council could also be
implicated in the case, prosecutor Zemy Leihitu said.

He told the court, which sat at about 11 a.m., that Tampi,
Jafar and Jermia were guilty of marking up the 2003 budget for
the Manado council's expenses, which caused some Rp 9.6 billion
in state losses.

The defendants were responsible for fund allocations not
covered in Government Regulation No. 110/2000, the reference for
drafting the council expenses budget, Zemy said.

He said the irregularities included allotting Rp 4.5 billion
for the council's operational funds, Rp 30 million for
disseminating propaganda and information as well as
documentation, Rp 250 million for councillors' welfare, Rp 545
million to support activities of councillors and Rp 4.8 billion
for their mobilization funds.

"The Manado council leaders initially said the Rp 4.8 billion
mobilization fund was to purchase four official cars, but the
money was distributed to all 40 council members, with each
receiving Rp 120 million.

"The remaining Rp 5 billion funds were pocketed by the four
council leaders," Zumy told the courtroom full of hundreds of
visitors.

The prosecutor said the councillors violated Article 2 (1) of
Law No. 31/1999 on corruption eradication and Article 55 (1) of
the Criminal Code on graft.

"The former council leaders are threatened with a maximum life
sentence or minimum penalty of four years in jail and fine of Rp
200 million each," he said.

Zemy said he had been the victim of intimidation and threats
from supporters of the defendants who were pressuring him to
abandon the trial.

Corruption is widespread in regional councils across the
country, with many legislators convicted, standing trial or under
investigation by prosecutors and police.