In a trial at the Corruption Court here Thursday, prosecutors charged the former president director of West Java province's PT Bank Jabar, Umar Sjarifuddin, to life imprisonment for causing state losses of up to Rp 51.28 billion between 2002 and 2005.
Besides enriching himself, Umar also disbursed the bank's money illegally to others including his marketing director, Uce Karna Suganda, who got Rp 7.13 billion, his operational director, Abbas Suhari Somantri, who got Rp 5.49 billion, and former West Java governor Danny Setiawan who got Rp 7.01 billion, prosecutors said.
Uce and Abbas were tried separately while Danny has yet to stand trial. Danny was previously sentenced to four years' imprisonment in other corruption case.
In total, Umar had caused Rp 51.28 billion in state losses, prosecutors said.
"The defendant ordered all the bank's branch heads to transfer money to the bank's central office and used *the money* for personal gain," prosecutor KMS Roni said while reading the indictment.
The case began in 2002 when Umar organized a meeting with Uce and Abbas at the defendant's office, and told them the bank needed capital, asking his subordinates to take money from the bank's branches.
"The branch heads then transferred money to the bank's central office," Roni said.
Bogor branch paid Rp 400 million, Cibinong branch Rp 250 million, Cikarang Rp 200 million, Cilegon Rp 235 million, Cirebon Rp 150 million, Garut Rp 350 million, Serang Rp 500 million, Labuan Rp 180 million, Majalengka Rp 200 million, Bandung Rp 1.05 billion, Pandeglang Rp 235 million, Rangkasbitung Rp 235 million, Indramayu Rp 200 million and Tangerang Rp 715 million.
This was repeated in following years, where the defendant told his subordinates that the bank needed to expand its credit, and it would need additional capital.
"The defendant told branch heads to pay up to 10 percent of their capital fee to the central office," prosecutor Rudi Margono said.
Prosecutors said the defendant was charged with abuse of power to enrich oneself, other people and a corporation, causing state loses, which under the 1999 Law on Corruption carries maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Umar was also charged with having bribed tax officials to manipulate tax amounts Bank Jabar had to pay. This charge carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.
"The defendant ordered Rp 1 billion to be paid to tax examiner Dedy Suwardi and Rp 1.55 billion to Bandung Tax Office head Eddi Setiadi," Rudi said.
Both Dedy and Eddi have yet to be investigated by the KPK.
Based on the fact that the Corruption Court has had a 100 percent conviction record for cases brought to trial, many believe Umar will also receive punishment.
Tougher judges at the court have on some occasions handed down lengthier prison terms than those demanded by prosecutors.
This was the first time the court had handed down a life sentence. Previously, the lengthiest sentence it had handed down was to prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan, who was ordered to serve 20 years' imprisonment for having received bribes in the Bank Indonesia liquidity funds (BLBI) scandal.
