Trial of former Bulog chief Beddu Amang begins
JAKARTA (JP): Former chief of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Beddu Amang was tried at the South Jakarta District Court on Thursday for allegedly causing some Rp 95.4 billion (US$10 million) in losses to the state in a land swap deal.
Chief prosecutor Fachmi charged Beddu with articles in Anti- corruption Law No. 3/1971 that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail.
"Beddu Amang, together with the now convicted executives of the wholesaler PT Goro Batara Sakti, Hutomo Mandala Putra and Ricardo Gelael, and Hokiarto, whose trial will be held separately, had illegally amassed wealth for themselves ...," Fachmi read from the indictment during the hearing presided over by Judge Lalu Mariyun.
Prosecutors found that the land exchange deal between Bulog and PT Goro in 1995 did not comply with the proper bid procedure as regulated in a finance ministry instruction and that PT Goro did not have the funds or the ability to provide some Rp 192 billion to pay for Bulog's property.
Prosecutors asserted that both Hutomo alias Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, and Ricardo declined to use their own money to pay for Bulog's land in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.
"They asked the defendant to underwrite their Rp 20 billion loan from Bank Bukopin with Bulog's funds to buy a plot of land in Marunda, North Jakarta, belonging to businessman Hokiarto and asked another Rp 32.5 billion from Beddu to pay the rest," Fachmi said.
Appearing serious during the hearing, Beddu asked for a 10- minute break before his lawyers presented the rebuttal.
Lawyer Mohamad Assegaf said that Beddu was authorized by Soeharto as Bulog chief to manage the agency funds and was responsible to the president as regulated in Presidential Decree No. 50/1995.
"The one who can file a complaint of an irregularity in the use of Bulog funds is the president. There is no corruption in the case, and if there was a crime, it should be considered a civil case because it based on a deal with Bulog."
After the more-than-five-hour hearing ended at 3:45 p.m., Beddu held a press briefing to maintain his innocence.
Assegaf said that there was no bid in the deal as instructed by president Soeharto.
The hearing will resume next Thursday when the prosecutors will present their reply.
The agency, which is known as the state's cash cow, funds of which are nonbudgetary, is prone to graft.
Suwondo
Another case involving Rp 35 billion of Bulog's funds was also held at the North Jakarta District Court with defendant Alip Agung Suwondo alias An Peng Sui, former masseur of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
The hearing was adjourned until next Thursday, since Suwondo, who was wheeled into the courtroom, complained of a stomachache and headache. (bby)