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.