Yusuf facing multiple charges

Tue, 12/02/2008 10:42 AM  |  National

Prosecutors on Monday indicted legislator Yusuf Erwin Faishal for blackmail and taking bribes, during the first day of his first trial at the Corruption Court in Jakarta.

He faces between four and 20 years in prison if convicted.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) member was charged with bribery in a protected forest conversion in South Sumatra, and blackmail in the revitalization of an integrated radio communication system project at the Forestry Ministry in 2007.

"The defendant allegedly received Rp 775 million (US$62,500) in total from businessman Chandra Antonio Tan and former South Sumatra administration secretary Sofyan Rebuin to smooth the approval of a project to convert 600 hectares of a protected forest in Banyuasin, South Sumatra," prosecutor M. Rum told the court.

Yusuf is also suspected of taking Rp 125 million and S$220,000 from Anggoro Widjoyo and David Angkawidjaya, respectively. The two were suppliers for the revitalization project at the Forestry Ministry.

Responding to the charges, Yusuf admitted to only receiving Rp 625 million in the protected forest conversion case.

"For your information, when I served as chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission IV (overseeing forestry and agriculture issues), I was really passive in the discussions in the forest conversion," he claimed.

Nor did he deny allegations he demanded payment from Anggoro and David as a "gift" if the commission approved the planned allocation of funds for the revitalization of the radio communication project in 2007.

Yusuf's wife, renowned singer Hetty Koes Endang, and his two children attended the trial that was adjourned until Dec. 11.

-- JP/Irawaty Wardany

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