Verdict on Sapuan to be handed down on March 20

Verdict on Sapuan to be handed down on March 20

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court will hand down
on March 20 the verdict for former deputy chief of State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) Sapuan, who is being tried for allegedly
embezzling Rp 35 billion (US$3.6 million).

"We need three weeks to consider a fair verdict on the case,"
presiding judge Lalu Mariyun said Tuesday.

Earlier in the hearing, in a counter statement against the
defendant's and his lawyer's defense last week, state prosecutors
led by Nulis Sembiring insisted that Sapuan was guilty of
embezzling the funds belonging to the foundation of Bulog
employees, Yanatera, and therefore he must be sentenced to 18
months in prison.

Sembiring said that the defense statement was merely an
expression of the defendant's feelings.

"Therefore, we request the panel of judges to ignore such a
defense statement," Sembiring said.

The 67-year old Sapuan last week broke into tears as he
presented his defense statement, saying that he was only a victim
of a conspiracy. He said that he disbursed the money upon the
request of Alip Agung Suwondo, who is being tried separately,
Suwondo told him the President needed the money for humanitarian
aid in Aceh.

Prosecutors also said that the defendant had been wrong as
former Bulog chief Yusuf Kalla testified on Oct. 10 last year
that Sapuan violated procedures for failing to report to him
about the disbursement of the money.

Sembiring said that Yusuf had told the court that he was never
aware of Sapuan's decision to disburse the money. The Yanatera
statute stipulates that the release of any sum above Rp 500
million must have the Bulog chief's approval.

Sembiring also said that due to his preoccupation with the
Ministry of Industry and Trade, Yusuf delegated the day-to-day
management of Bulog to Sapuan, but he never authorized him to
approve the disbursement of such an amount of money. (01)