Stronger links between Artalyta, Kemas revealed

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 06/12/2008 10:17 AM  |  Headlines

Prosecutors on Wednesday presented new evidence about the relationship between bribery suspect Artalyta Suryani and Kemas Yahya Rahman, a top official at the Attorney General's Office (AGO).

Prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) presented a recording of a March 1 cellular phone conversation between businesswoman Artalyta and Kemas, then the deputy attorney general for special crimes, during a hearing at the Corruption Court in Jakarta.

The conversation was taped by the KPK and was presented as evidence against Artalyta, who is charged with bribing state prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan, a former subordinate of Kemas.

Artalyta confirmed the conversation, which happened a day after the Attorney General's Office announced on March 29 it was halting an investigation into businessman Sjamsul Nursalim, the former director of Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia, in relation to the embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) funds.

The investigation was led by Urip, and Artalyta reportedly has ties to Sjamsul.

In the recording, Kemas asks Artalyta if she had heard the announcement and his statement about the case.

"It's good, very good," Artalyta says.

"So my job's done. It is all clear, obvious; there's no more problem," Kemas replies.

"(But) about the matter of Joker. I need to explain it," Artalyta says.

"Oh, no. Later, later. I've discussed it. Because it's all been announced now, there's a plan for it. Just stay calm," Kemas says.

Artalyta told the court that "Joker" was not Urip.

Prosecutors allege that Artalyta bribed Urip to ensure the BLBI investigation targeting Sjamsul would be dropped.

Before the probe was dropped, the AGO summoned Sjamsul three times to answer questions. The first two summonses went unanswered. In response to the third summons, Sjamsul's lawyers sent a letter to prosecutors saying their client was too sick to be questioned.

During the trial session Wednesday, prosecutors played a recording of a Jan. 13, 2008, conversation in which a man is heard instructing a woman to write a letter requesting that Sjamsul be excused from questioning due to illness and to have his lawyers sign the letter.

When the judges asked Artalyta if the man's voice was Urip's, she said, "That is my voice, but the one who advised me to write the letter was Pak Kemas."

Kemas has yet to be called to testify in the trial. (dre)

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