House to Probe ‘Setup’ by AGO, Police
Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Nivell Rayda | July 23, 2010
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Legislators say they will haul up Attorney General Hendarman Supandji and National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri next week to clarify allegations that their both institutions fabricated evidence in an embezzlement case wracking the justice ministry.
“We want to hear from the attorney general in particular to confirm the reports we’ve received in this case,” Benny K. Harman, chairman of the House of Representative’s Commission III, overseeing legal affairs, said on Thursday in Jakarta.
The case centers around a Web site at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry that allowed companies to register for business permits online.
Prosecutors say site operator PT Sarana Rekatama Dinamika took 90 percent of the revenue generated by the site, with ministry officials taking 10 percent, thereby denying the state Rp 410 billion ($45.3 million) in revenue between 2001 and 2006.
A Sarana executive and several ministry officials have already been convicted in the case, including Romli Atmasasmita, a former ministry director general, who has appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court.
However, at a meeting on Wednesday with House Commission III, Romli claimed he had proof that the evidence used against him was fake.
One of the incriminating items was an agreement signed by Romli and the ministry’s Pengayoman Cooperative to split their share of the Web site-generated revenue, which Romli claimed he had never signed.
“I asked the police and prosecutors to show me the original document, but they never did, even during the trial,” he said. “They only showed me a copy.”
He added he was certain his signature had been stamped on the copy.
The second piece of evidence that Romli refuted was a copy of a bank check for $2,000 made out to himself.
He claimed a high-ranking official at the Attorney General’s Office had once publicly insinuated that Romli had hundreds of billions of rupiah in his personal accounts.
“I demanded they show me the original proof, but they didn’t,” he said.
“I also spoke with the chairman of the PPATK [Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center] to look into the allegation, and he said there was no truth to it.
“I’m the victim of legal manipulation and I’m prepared to confront the AGO, the police and the judges on the issue of this faked evidence,” Romli added.
Former justice minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who has been named a suspect in the case, has previously stressed his innocence and also vouched for Romli.
Yusril said there was no evidence showing either of them received money from the Web site.
Benny said Romli’s statement was just the latest in a spate of similar accusations against police and prosecutors.
“If what he says is true, then the AGO and the police have made a mockery of the legal process,” he said. “Our judicial system has been compromised.”
Syarifuddin Sudding, from the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), called on the AGO to drop its charges against suspects Yusril and Hartono Tanoesudibjo, Sarana’s owner.
“This allegation of fabricated evidence must first be investigated before the embezzlement probe can continue,” he said.
Achmad Basarah, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said Romli’s allegations should prompt a more radical reform of law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, the AGO has launched an internal investigation of two top prosecutors after it was alleged they had met secretly with Hartono’s brother Hary on Monday to discuss dropping Hartono’s case.
Deputy attorney general for internal supervision Marwan Effendy said the AGO was examining whether Muhammad Amari and Edwin Situmorang, the deputy attorneys general for special crimes and intelligence, had violated codes of conduct by meeting Hary.
Amari has admitted meeting Hary, who came to his office.
“He offered to pay for the losses incurred in the Web site case, and I told him he was welcome to but that wouldn’t guarantee that the charges against his brother would be dropped,” Amari said.
Marwan said AGO regulations prohibited high officials from meeting with anyone linked to an ongoing investigation.
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