Zawawi to appear in court soon

Zawawi to appear in court soon

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office is expected to
submit to the North Jakarta District Court this week dossiers
detailing the alleged involvement in corrupt practices of former
head of the Jakarta Logistics Agency (Dolog Jaya) Ahmad Zawawi.

"We have completed the dossiers," assistant for intelligence
at the prosecutor's office, Andi Syarifuddin, announced after
attending the inauguration ceremony of Jakarta's Provincial
Elections Committee on Saturday.

Separately on Monday, Andi, in his capacity as acting head of
the prosecutor's North Jakarta office, said that Zawawi -- in
preparation for his trial -- was taken into custody at Cipinang
Penitentiary immediately after he made his routine report on his
whereabouts to penitentiary officials on Monday.

"His immediate detention is important as he otherwise might
escape with his city arrest status," Andi told The Jakarta Post,
adding that the dossiers would be probably submitted to the court
by Friday at the latest.

He, however, refused to disclose why his office had spent so
much time in preparing a case against Zawawi, who last year was
accused of taking part in the illegal issue of rice delivery
orders and the unlawful export of 1,900 metric tons of rice to
Sarawak in Malaysia.

The case made many angry as it was thought that the
skyrocketing prices of rice in the capital at that time was
mainly due to Zawawi's misdeeds.

Zawawi, a 57-year-old Army colonel, was named a main suspect
in the case and was taken into police custody on Sept. 24. He was
later released on bail at the request of his relatives.

Late October last year, the city prosecutor's office returned
the dossiers to the city police due to a lack of eligible
evidence, and asked the police to resubmit the case with clear
charges.

During police questioning, Zawawi reportedly confessed to
stealing more than half of Jakarta's daily rice supply and
selling it to business partners.

The city's estimated daily rice requirement is approximately
5,000 metric tons, but the agency consistently distributes less
than half the amount.

Zawawi was relieved from his post, after serving for five
months, by Governor Sutiyoso who made the decision after
consulting Minister of Industry and Trade/State Logistics Agency
chairman Rahardi Ramelan to help speed up the police
investigation. (ind)