Police chiefs absent from Susno’s trial

JAKARTA: Judges postponed a hearing in the graft trial of former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji after prosecutors failed to present nine of Susno’s former subordinates Thursday.

The hearing was scheduled to hear testimonies of nine local police chiefs in West Java who were Susno’s subordinates during his tenure as West Java Police chief in 2008.

The mid-ranking police officers were scheduled to testify concerning allegations that Susno embezzled Rp 8 billion (US$890,000) from security funds for the 2008 gubernatorial election.

“How can you fail to present witnesses again? Please be serious,” presiding judge Charis Mardiyanto told prosecutors.

Susno first revealed the mafia ring centering on former low-ranking tax official Gayus H. Tambunan.

Also on Thursday, the same court heard Gayus’ former superior Maruli Pandapotan Manurung who testified for defendant, Gayus’ other ex-boss, Humala Setia Leonard Napitupulu.

Humala was indicted for tax fraud allegedly conducted in cooperation with Maruli and Gayus. The three allegedly granted Rp 570.9 million in tax restitution to a company in Sidoarjo, East Java, without being subject to a proper examination. — JP