Witness says Puteh returned money
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Aceh administration secretary Tantawi Ishak testified at the graft trial of Abdullah Puteh on Tuesday that the suspended governor had not returned all of the Rp 7.75 billion (US$861,111) transferred to his account. Earlier on Monday, Aceh's treasurer Zainudin told the same trial that he had transferred in 2002 the money into Puteh's personal account for the purchase of a Russian-made helicopter.
"The governor returned Rp 1.3 billion on July 24, 2003 and another Rp 2.3 billion, plus Rp 15 million in interest, on July 6, a year later, to the province's treasury," Tantawi told the AntiCorruption Court in Central Jakarta.
He said the Rp 3.6 billion was money that had not been released by Puteh to PT Putra Pobiagan Mandiri (PT PPM), the broker of the MI-2 helicopter, as the company had failed to fulfill its commitment to train the pilots of the choppers, the secretary added.
Prosecutors said the money had been returned after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) began its probe into Puteh on charges of marking up the price of the helicopter.
When asked by the judges whether the governor was allowed to use his personal account for official business, Tantawi said that, as the highest authority in the province, the governor was allowed to do so.
"I am not aware of any regulation that prohibits the use of a personal account for such a purpose," the witness said.
After the hearing, Tantawi told The Jakarta Post that Puteh opened Account No. 01.01.038.492 at Bank Bukopin after being elected in 2000 as Aceh governor.
"So, the account was opened under Abdullah Puteh's name as the governor but it was not a personal account," Tantawi said.
Another witness, Adi Bramantya, from Bank Bukopin admitted that Puteh's account was opened as a personal account, not an official one.
Commenting on this issue, a professor specializing in administrative law, Ryaas Rasyid, said the use of a personal account for official business violated regulations on financial administration.
"Everybody has the right to have a personal account, but it cannot be used for official business. Purchasing a helicopter is official business, therefore the use of a personal account is not permitted under the law," he said.
Ryaas said that even though Puteh had returned the money, he had still breached the law and should be held accountable.
"I heard that he returned the money after he was investigated by the KPK. That won't annul the fact that he violated administrative regulations," the expert said. (006)