Graft commission limits BI governor's visitors

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 04/13/2008 12:24 PM  |  Headlines

A letter sent Friday by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to the National Police prohibits detained Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah from receiving visitors from the media, general public and his extended family.

The letter, signed by the anti-graft body's head of investigation, Akhmad Wiyagus, stated that only several members of Burhanuddin's family and his lawyers could visit him at the National Police Headquarters' detention center in Jakarta.

The letter also stipulated "anyone other than those listed ... may only visit upon receiving a recommendation from the KPK's investigation team."

The letter listed Burhanuddin's wife, his children and his close relatives as those who were allowed to visit him, while a separate letter granted Burhanuddin's legal representatives access.

The restriction comes on the basis of Burhanuddin's arrest warrant, the prisoner's detainment letter and a letter written by his lawyers to the KPK on visitation rights.

However, Panji Prasetyo, one of Burhanuddin's lawyers, said he had not asked the KPK to limit visitors.

"That's not true, that's the KPK's authority," he said. "We did ask for the KPK's permission to see him outside office hours. We are his lawyers after all, so we have to see him a lot."

Burhanuddin's wife, Ike Djulyawati, and a dozen others visited him at around 11 a.m. on Saturday. Ike also denied asking the KPK to limit Burhanuddin's visitors.

"That's all the KPK. The family has nothing to do with it," she said, adding that she wanted everyone to pray for her husband's immediate release.

The KPK could not be reached for comment while the police barred reporters from visiting Burhanuddin's cell, referring to the letter's instructions.

Since his detainment Thursday, Burhanuddin has been visited by a nonstop wave of sympathizers, including on Friday BI director of human resources Kusumaningtuti, who has been summoned by the KPK for questioning, and BI staffers from various echelons.

The KPK named Burhanuddin a suspect on Jan. 8 over the misappropriation of Rp 100 billion (US$10.87 million) from the Indonesian Banking Development Foundation.

His arrest followed the House of Representatives' decision Wednesday to replace him with Boediono upon the expiration of his tenure on May 17. (anw)

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