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Billy on trial for broadcasting rights graft
Lippo Group executive Billy Sindoro stood trial Tuesday in a bribery case which prosecutors said he initiated to convince an anti-monopoly agency to rule in his favor in a dispute over the right to broadcast English Premier League matches
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Lippo Group executive Billy Sindoro stood trial Tuesday in a bribery case which prosecutors said he initiated to convince an anti-monopoly agency to rule in his favor in a dispute over the right to broadcast English Premier League matches.
Corruption Eradication Commission prosecutors said in their indictment the defendant had taken part in formulating the Business Competition Supervisory Board (KPPU) ruling to help Lippo subsidiary company PT Direct Vision retain the broadcasting rights.
“The defendant has given Rp 500 million (US$45,578) to Mohammad Iqbal, then a member of a panel commission handling the monopoly dispute as a reward after the commission ruled in favor of PT Direct Vision,” prosecutor Sarjono Turin read the indictment at the Corruption Court.
Billy is charged with bribery and gratuity and could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Prosecutors said Billy had known the KPPU was investigating the report filed by PT Indonusa Telemedia, PT Indosat Mega Media and PT Media Nusantara Citra Sky Vision against alleged monopolization by PT Direct Vision, Astro All Asia Networks, ESPN STAR Sports and All Asia Multimedia Networks (AAMN) since January this year.
“In July, the defendant asked Tajuddin Noer Said, another KPPU member, to introduce him to Iqbal,” Sarjono said.
The defendant met with Iqbal for the first time on July 21 at a hotel in Central Jakarta to ask for information about the case.
On July 25, the defendant again contacted Iqbal, who informed the defendant of developments in the investigation into the case.
On Aug. 19, Iqbal told Billy that the rights to broadcast the English Premier League would go to Aora TV. The tip-off prompted the defendant to arrange another meeting at the same hotel on Aug. 22.
“The defendant told Iqbal about the worsening business relation between Direct Vision and AAMN, which had planned to supply the soccer league matches to Aora,” Sarjono said.
In the next meeting on Aug. 27, at the same hotel, the defendant asked Iqbal to insert a clause into the KPPU ruling ordering AAMN not to terminate its contract with Direct Vision before a (legal) settlement was reached between the two.
“On Aug. 28 when Iqbal was attending a meeting with other commission members, Billy contacted him and reminded him about his request. Iqbal then told fellow commission members to order AAMN to supply the program to Direct Vision until a legally binding decision from the court was delivered,” the prosecutor said.
Billy even sent Iqbal a draft of the clause, which was then passed by the commission on Aug. 29.
In a Sept. 16 meeting at the hotel, Billy handed over Rp 500 million in cash to Iqbal. On his way home from the meeting, Iqbal was arrested by KPK investigators.
Billy’s lawyer, BS Humphrey Djemat said they would not argue the charges.
However, he underlined that Billy had not held a position at any of Lippo Group’s companies since June 8, 2008.
