W. Jakarta mayor ready for police questioning

JAKARTA (JP): West Jakarta Mayor Sutardjianto is ready to give an explanation to the police of his alleged role in the falsification of land deeds.

Monny Manangka, a spokesman for city hall, told reporters yesterday the allegations of corruption made by local papers was on the agenda for the monthly meeting of city officials presided over by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja yesterday.

"The governor told the mayor to quickly settle the case," said Monny, adding that he will cooperate with investigators if asked.

The police had said earlier they would summon the mayor to explain the fake certificates issued for a plot framed by Jl. Melati Ratu Raya, Jl. Melati I and Jl. Melati II, Duri Kepa subdistrict, Kebon Jeruk district.

"We never suggested he is involved in issuing fake certificates. But we need him to explain his position because all land ownership title certificates had to be signed and approved by him along with other related officials," Col. Hari Susanto, a spokesman for the national police headquarters, said recently.

Police said they will also summon Baban, chief of the Kebon Jeruk district in connection with the case.

Baban served as chief of Duri Kepa subdistrict when the bogus certificates were issued in the period between 1971 and 1981, while Sutardjianto was chief of Kebon Jeruk district.

Police said that officials have issued at least five different land ownership certificates for the one plot. The certificates were registered under the code numbers C 530, C 1235, C 1446 b, C 1446 and C 2307.

According to the police, the land, the width of which differs in each document, was originally owned by Entong Kipo, who later sold it to Salim Ketong. In turn, the latter sold the land to Iding, who passed it on to her daughter, Nining Ratnaningsih.

Nining, a mother of six children, died in March 1990.

The trouble began in October 1991 when her husband, Lili Maulani, reported to the police that a number of people had claimed ownership of the plot. Lili claims he has kept the certificate since Nining's death.

However, at least two people have claimed that they had been asked by Nining to sell the plot.

The two had reportedly sold the land to Bakarang Soelie, a commissioner of PT Multi Gold, who later handed it to his wife, Dyah Restuningrum, who next sold a portion of it to Nina Nadjibah and Andrie Nelwan.

Nina in turn sold her plot to PT Wahyu Tata Wasana.

A total of 13 witnesses have reportedly been questioned about the case. (jsk/bsr)