MP questioned over Tommy case

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 04/17/2008 11:17 AM  |  National

The KPK on Wednesday questioned lawmaker Yusron Ihza Mahendra about a transfer of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra's money from the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) Paribas to a government account.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Johan Budi said the KPK was gathering information on the transfer, which involved Yusron's Ihza and Ihza law firm, Tommy, who is the youngest son of the late former president Soeharto, and several officials in former president Megawati's Cabinet.

"We have been gathering data on this for some time now. We are just conducting a preliminary probe," he said.

Yusron arrived at around 10 a.m. at the KPK office and underwent two hours of questioning as a witness in the case.

"The KPK just wanted some clarification from Yusron in connection to money transferred from BNP Paribas," Johan said.

Yusron is the younger brother of former justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, whose law firm handled the transfer of US$10 million (Rp 145 billion) of Tommy's money in BNP Paribas to the ministry's account during Megawati's term.

BNP Paribas had refused to transfer the money, which was saved under an account belonging to Tommy's company PT Motor Bike, but eventually gave in to the demand after lengthy negotiations between the London-based bank and Yusril's law firm.

By 2005 all the money was finally transferred to the ministry's account when Yusril had already been replaced as minister by Hamid Awaluddin.

Tommy was tried several times for allegedly siphoning off state funds to his companies. He was never found guilty in a civil case, but spent seven years in prison after a district court found him guilty of conspiracy to murder a judge who handled his case.

The South Jakarta District Court ruled in Tommy's favor earlier this year in a case involving Tommy's company PT Goro Baktara Sakti and the State Logistics Company (Bulog).

A panel of judges in the case ordered Bulog to pay Tommy Rp 5 billion in immaterial damages. (anw)

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.