Paras Indonesia, January, 25 2006 @ 06:19 pm
Police Threaten To Detain Lawyer Over Jaguargate
By: Roy Tupai
Police have threatened to detain controversial Muslim lawyer Eggy Sudjana if he fails
to comply with a summons for questioning as a suspect in a criminal defamation case
that involves corruption allegations against a media tycoon and President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono's inner circle.
The lawyer might have bitten off more than he could chew earlier this month, when he
claimed that media tycoon Harry Tanoesoedibjo had given Jaguar sedans to four
people close to Yudhoyono: Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi, presidential spokesmen
Andi Mallarangeng and Dino Patti Djalal, and one of Yudhoyono's sons.
Sudjana told the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and reporters that
Tanoesoedibjo had presented the gifts – which are illegal if not reported to KPK – in
an effort to win favors, such as a seat next to Yudhoyono during the president's state
visit to China last year.
The insinuation that big businessmen are flaunting their shady business practices
within the corridors of power of a president who has sworn to eradicate corruption
sparked strong denials from the palace.
Tanoesoedibjo, a business partner of former president Suharto's middle son Bambang
Trihatmodjo, went further by filing a criminal complaint with police, accusing Sudjana
of defamation and damaging his good name.
Sudjana subsequently admitted his allegation was only a rumor and apologized to
Yudhoyono for claiming that his son received one of the cars. He also thanked police
for clearing up the rumor. But he stopped short of apologizing for his accusation
against Tanoesoedibjo and the three presidential aides, even though he could not
provide any proof that Jaguars had changed hands.
Furthermore, on the same day that he made his apology, Sudjana returned to the
KPK office to report new corruption allegations against Tanoesoedibjo. He claimed
that a transaction between the tycoon's investment bank PT Bhakti Investama and
powerful toll road company PT Citra Marga Nusapha Persada had caused the state to
suffer losses of $28 million. This time, KPK refused to even receive Sudjana, who had
brought along dossiers of Tanoesoedibjo's alleged involvement in the case, which had
first been reported to KPK by legal aid lawyers in July 2004. "We came here only to
ask the extent to which the KPK has handled the case. However, the KPK refused to
see us," he said.
Police on Monday (23/1/06) declared Sudjana a suspect and said he would soon be
summoned for questioning over the defamation complaint and could also face charges
of insulting the head of state.
Sudjana was supposed to be questioned at Jakarta Police headquarters on
Wednesday but failed to appear because he was out of the country. "I'm still in
Singapore. So I cannot come today," he was quoted as saying by detikcom online
news portal.
He proudly admitted to receiving the summons from police. "It means the police love
me. They sent me this letter and asked me to come. But I'm starting to wonder, why
hasn't Harry Tanoe also summoned the police that I reported in his corruption case?"
he asked.
The lawyer could not say when he would return to Indonesia, claiming he still had to
deal with many matters abroad.
Jakarta Police chief Inspector General Firman Gani said it may be necessary to
detain Sudjana. "The plan was to question him today. We will see later; if he needs to
be detained for the investigation, he will be detained."
He said detention would not be necessary if Sudjana is cooperative and does not
attempt to flee the country or eliminate material evidence.
Shadik Wahono Released, Detention Postponed
According to Jakarta's rumor mills, Sudjana received his information on the alleged
Jaguar scandal from Shadik Wahono, a former commissioner of PT Citra Marga
Nusapha Persada, which was once controlled by Suharto's eldest daughter Siti
Hardiyanti ‘Tutut' Rukmana.
Wahono was arrested at 11pm Saturday night at Sukarno-Hatta International Airport
immediately upon his return from a trip abroad. Police also raided his house and
office, seizing his computer's hard drive.
The charge? Officially it's nothing to do with the Jaguar case. Police have accused
Wahono of using a fake diploma and said he could face a maximum jail sentence of
seven years.
That makes almost no sense, because hundreds of prominent Indonesians –
including senior police, politicians, tycoons, religious preachers and even shamans –
all have phony diplomas but have not been detained.
Police later released Wahono on Tuesday evening after accepting a request from his
wife and his lawyer to postpone his detention, but they insisted he would end up being
brought to court.
The businessman has strongly denied furnishing Sudjana with data for his report to
the KPK.
Gani on Wednesday also insisted Wahono's arrest had nothing to do with Sudjana's
case. "He is not linked to any other cases," asserted the city police chief.
He said the matter of Wahono's false diploma had been reported to police by
publicly-listed holding company Citra Bimantara, while various universities were urging
police to seriously crack down on the use of phony educational qualifications. "So we
have to pay big attention to this case of falsification," he said.
What he didn't mention is the fact that the president of Bimantara Citra's board of
directors is none other than Harry Tanoesoedibjo.
Sudjana was typically smug when asked by detikcom what would happen should he
share Wahono's fate of being arrested upon his return to Indonesia. "Thanks be to
God, if that happens to me there will be a potential for disturbances to occur," he
said.
Now that the gloves are well and truly off, it seems unlikely the bombastic lawyer will
be able to stay in the ring for many more rounds with the powerful Tanoesoedibjo. But
regardless of whether he can prove his corruption allegations, he may yet come out
swinging with more embarrassing accusations.
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