Witness admits telling lies to save Akbar
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A key witness in the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scandal admitted on Tuesday that he tried to save former Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung by falsifying documents about the use of the Rp 40 billion (US$4.09 million) fund.
After more than six hours of questioning, Winfried Simatupang, a contractor, confessed to the South Jakarta District Court that he lied because he did not want Akbar to be involved in the scandal.
"What do you care about Akbar? You are a businessman, you should have thought about making a profit. Is it true that the 'scenario' was made to save Akbar?" asked Trimoelja D. Soerjadi, who leads a team of lawyers defending Rahardi Ramelan, a former Bulog chief.
"A part of it," Winfried said.
He referred to the falsifying of documents stating that the Rp 40 billion was spent on a charity project in 1999.
When Trimoelja asked further about why Winfried wanted to save Akbar, presiding judge Lalu Mariyun cut his question by explaining that Winfried had already answered the question.
Later in the day, judge Lalu announced that the court granted Rahardi's request to change his detention status to house arrest.
Rahardi had been detained in the Cipinang Penitentiary, East Jakarta, since Feb. 8.
The defendant, according to the judge, is suffering from bronchitis and a hernia, and needs intensive medical care. The penitentiary has no adequate medical facilities or any medical specialists.
Rahardi, also a former trade and industry minister, is accused of embezzling Rp 62.9 billion of Bulog funds in 1999.
He allegedly gave Rp 40 billion to Akbar, Rp 10 billion to former minister of defense/military chief Gen.(ret.) Wiranto, and handed over the rest to various parties, including the presidential guards.
Winfried, along with Akbar, who is now the House of Representatives speaker and the Golkar Party chairman, and Dadang Sukandar, chairman of Raudlatul Jannah Foundation, are being tried separately at the Central Jakarta District Court for the misappropriation of Rp 40 billion of the total amount.
Many believe that Akbar used the money for Golkar's 1999 election campaign. Akbar has denied the allegations.
According to the indictment, Akbar gave Rp 40 billion to the foundation, which later appointed Winfried as the contractor responsible for the disbursement of food packages for the supposedly charitable project for the needy between March 1999 and September 1999.
Winfried told the court on Tuesday that he had channeled Rp 7.28 billion to several regencies in East Java and Central Java after an order from the foundation in March 1999.
In May 1999, Winfried said, Dadi Surjadi, the project manager, asked him to cancel the work due to security reasons. Winfried, however, continued to get the money from the foundation, totaling Rp 40 billion.
Winfried claimed that he used the funds to buy foreign currency.
"I bought US$3.1 million from street dollar vendors in Kwitang and the nearby Pasar Baru area, Central Jakarta. I didn't know their names.
"It was the project manager's order. He asked me to keep the cash in my house as he knew I have two cabinets in my bedroom," Winfried said, attempting to blame Dadi, a taxi driver turned project manager who died in May 2000.
Winfried claimed that he kept the dollars in his two filing cabinets and Rp 8 billion in his drawer "which had a special key".
"Weren't you afraid the money would rot?" asked J. Kamaru, another lawyer representing Rahardi.
"I opened the cabinets doors several times to prevent it from rotting. I have an air-conditioner in my room," Winfried answered.
Earlier this year, in a bizarre twist, Winfried paid the Rp 40 billion back to the Attorney General's Office. Photo -- Page 4