US$178m graft case trial delayed

JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court failed Monday to begin the US$178 million corruption trial of a state-owned financial company chairman.

Lawyers Amir Syamsuddin and M. Assegaf asked the court to postpone the trial of defendant Sudjiono Timan, chairman of PT Bahana Pembangunan Usaha Indonesia, for medical reasons.

They handed a report from his doctors to the panel of judges, explaining that Timan was in poor health due to kidney problems.

Presiding judge IDG. Putra Jadnya approved the request, and adjourned the trial until Jan. 3, 2002.

Timan was charged with abusing his power by disbursing the money to a company that belonged to tycoon Prajogo Pangestu, without following proper procedures.

Currently, Timan is currently under house arrest. With the guarantee from his lawyers and family, as well as having paid Rp 200 million bail, the panel of judges approved his request for house arrest earlier this month.--JP