Witness denies knowledge of plan to cheat Tommy
Witness denies knowledge of plan to cheat Tommy
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
An aide to former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, Noer
Muhammad Iskandar SQ, testified at the Central Jakarta District
Court on Friday that he knew little about an alleged scam
involving defendant Abdullah Sidiq Muin.
Sidiq, the head of the At-Tauhid Islamic boarding school in
Kediri, East Java, is on trial for swindling Rp 15 billion
(US$1.79 million) from Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the son of
former president Soeharto, in 2001.
Noer, the head of the As-Sydiqiah Islamic boarding school in
Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, and a member of the House of
Representatives, said Gus Dur was not involved in any scheme to
charge Tommy Rp 15 billion for presidential clemency. Tommy had
been sentenced to 18 months in prison on corruption charges.
"In the first meeting at the Regent Hotel, Tommy said he was
willing to help rebuild the country's economy if Gus Dur could
give him clemency. Gus Dur refused and advised Tommy to follow
normal legal procedures," Noer said.
He said the meetings between Tommy and Gus Dur at the Regent
Hotel and the Borobudur Hotel were initiated by Raden Dodi
Sumadi, who Tommy has fingered as the real culprit in the case.
Sidiq also allegedly acted to introduce and arrange the
meetings between Tommy and Gus Dur.
"I don't know if Dodi demanded Tommy give him money for the
clemency," Noer said.
Dodi has told police that he received Rp 15 billion from Tommy
and shared the money with others, including Noer. Dodi himself
fled and has not been seen since his dossier was submitted to
prosecutors.
Dodi alleged that part of the money went to the Puan Amal
Hayati Foundation, owned by Gus Dur's wife Sinta Nuriyah, Sidiq's
boarding school and to pay the expenses for the meetings.
After Noer's testimony, Sidiq's defense team alleged that the
witness withheld important information on Gus Dur's alleged
involvement in the matter.
"There are many inconsistencies between Noer's testimony and
information other witnesses gave to the police," lawyer Budi
Santoso said.
Presiding judge Saparudin Hasibuan adjourned the trial until
March 11, at which time the court is scheduled to hear from
additional witnesses, including Tommy's elder sister Siti
Hardiyanti "Tutut" Rukmana.
Tutut, who was supposed to testify on at Sidiq's trial on
Friday, instead paid a visit to the Seroja housing complex in
Bekasi regency that is home to retired soldiers who fought in
East Timor in the 1970s. The presidential hopeful from the
Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) has been summoned
to testify three times, but has yet to appear.