Zawawi awaits release decision
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)