Patrol-boat tender winner up on bribery charges

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors Monday demanded a four-year prison penalty for business owner Dedy Suwarsono for allegedly bribing House of Representatives lawmaker Bulyan Royan to secure a patrol-boat procurement tender earlier this year.

"We have compiled enough evidence to prove the defendant's crime and he is punishable under the anti-corruption law," said one prosecutor, reading the charges. The KPK also demanded he court fine the defendant Rp 75 million (US$6,450) or serve an additional six-month sentence.

Dedy was arrested in July shortly after Bulyan was caught red-handed accepting US$66,000 and 5,500 euros from him. Bulyan, a member of the Star Reform Party, sits on the House Commission V overseeing transportation affairs.

Dedy's company PT Binamina Karya Perkasa was one of five winners of a tender to procure 20 patrol boats, for Rp 115 billion, for the Transportation Ministry's Directorate General for Marine Transportation.

The Corruption Court told the defendant to read his defense next Monday. (dre)