Zawawi awaits release decision

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta District Court on Wednesday failed to decide on a petition for the release of former head of the Jakarta Logistics Agency (Dolog Jaya) Ahmad Zawawi from Salemba Penitentiary.

Presiding judge Sartono told Zawawi -- charged with corruption in rice distribution -- that the panel of judges was still studying the request filed by the defendant's wife, superior and lawyers for him to be placed under city arrest.

"We're still considering it. We have yet to finish," Sartono said shortly after the trial opened at 10 a.m.

Zawawi, attired in a dark blue safari suit, and his legal team led by Alamsyah Hanafiah accepted the judge's explanation.

Alamsyah made the request in status last week. If approved, Zawawi would be confined to the city.

He said a letter -- signed by State Logistics Agency chief Rahardi Ramelan, Zawawi's wife and the lawyers -- guaranteed the defendant would not flee the capital or destroy evidence.

His client, he added, would not attempt to abscond because he remained an expert staff assistant to Rahardi and received a pension from the Army. Zawawi is a retired Army colonel.

The 57-year-old defendant has been detained since March 29 for his alleged role in distributing 1,825 metric tons of government- subsidized rice to unlicensed distributing firms and the Pemuda Kiara youth organization, causing state losses of Rp 3.8 billion. The distribution occurred from July to September last year.

Prosecutor Syafruddin said in his indictment last week that the firms were discovered selling the rice, which was allotted for the capital, in several other cities, including Bogor and Cirebon in West Java and Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

The State Logistics Agency imported the rice from China, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand for a market operation to help stabilize soaring rice prices at the time, he said.

"This was because the rice sales outside Jakarta sparked prices here to escalate," the prosecutor said.

Sartono adjourned the trial until next week to hear the prosecutor's response. (jun)