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Jakarta Post

17.5 years sought for Fathanah

In the hot seat: Suspect in the beef-import graft case, Ahmad Fathanah, listens to the prosecutors’ demands during his trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Tue, October 22, 2013

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17.5 years sought for Fathanah

I

span class="inline inline-center">In the hot seat: Suspect in the beef-import graft case, Ahmad Fathanah, listens to the prosecutors'€™ demands during his trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday. The prosecutors have requested a seven-and-a-half year prison sentence for Fathanah for his role in a graft case centering on beef-import quotas at the Agriculture Ministry and a further 10 years for his involvement in money laundering. JP/Jerry Adiguna

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has demanded a harsh sentence for Ahmad Fathanah, the self-proclaimed religious teacher who allegedly engaged in corrupt practices to support his lavish lifestyle, including buying expensive gifts for several women with whom he had relationships.

Fathanah, who has connections with leaders of the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), is facing 17 years and six months behind bars and a Rp 1.5 billion (US$132,000) fine for his role in the bribery case surrounding the government'€™s beef importation policy.

KPK prosecutors issued him with corruption and money laundering charges and demanded the Jakarta Corruption Court sentence him to seven years and six months in jail for corruption and 10 years for money laundering.

'€œWe demand the court declare the defendant guilty of corruption and money laundering,'€ lead prosecutor Rini Triningsih said.

The prosecution said Fathanah and Luthfi, the latter of which is also being tried for his role in the high-profile case, had assisted beef import company PT Indoguna and its four subsidiaries in their efforts to acquire a bigger slice of the nation'€™s beef import quota. Luthfi is accused of using his influence as then PKS chairman and lawmaker to persuade Agriculture Minister Suswono, a PKS politician, to help the company.

On Dec. 23, Fathanah introduced Luthfi to Indoguna president director Maria Elizabeth Liman and a go-between identified as Elda Deviane Adiningrat, at a restaurant in Senayan City mall in South Jakarta, according to the prosecutors. During the meeting, Maria asked Luthfi for a favor and promised to pay him some money in return.

Luthfi then advised Maria to prepare the necessary documents to convince Suswono that an overall increase in the beef-import quota was necessary and urgent. Luthfi also promised to introduce Maria to Suswono.

'€œThe defendant received Rp 1.3 billion [$114,400] from Indoguna Utama to be given to Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq with regard to the proposed beef-import quota increase for Indoguna Utama,'€ Rini said, adding that the Rp 1.3 billion payment was part of Rp 40 billion promised by Indoguna to be given to Luthfi.

In relation to money laundering, prosecutors said Fathanah suspiciously stored Rp 1.8 billion at the Bank Mandiri branch on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Jakarta and Rp 2.4 billion at the Bank Mandiri branch in Depok.

'€œFrom January 2011 to January 2013, the defendant committed money laundering amounting to Rp 38.7 billion from a number of activities,'€ Rini said.

The KPK has confiscated four luxury cars belonging to Fathanah: a black Toyota FJ Cruiser, a white Alphard, a black Land Cruiser Prado and a black Mercedes Benz. The agency also seized a Honda Jazz Fathanah gave to model Vitalia Shesha, one of the women reportedly close to him.

She testified in court that Fathanah had bought her expensive jewelry and had given her money to pay the rent on a house in Tebet, South Jakarta.

She said it did not take long for Fathanah to spend money on her. '€œI was first introduced to Fathanah by a manager in September last year. Fathanah told me he was a member of the PKS and I did not try to learn more about what kind of party it was or what his job was,'€ she testified.

She said Fathanah wired her millions of rupiah for her to shop at high-end clothing store Zara in an upmarket Jakarta mall. Fathanah also booked two luxury rooms at Le Meridien hotel for Vitalia and her children on New Year'€™s Eve.

'€œWhen I asked him why he was giving me all these things, he answered that Allah had given me all the things and money through him,'€ Vitalia said, responding to a question posed by a prosecutor.

Several witnesses said they knew Fathanah as a member of the PKS, even though the party had repeatedly said he was nothing but a friend of Luthfi. After the hearing, Fathanah smiled at journalists, who asked him for his response to the prosecutors'€™ demands.

'€œIt shocked me for a while, but it'€™s not final yet, right? We will see later at the defense session of the trial,'€ he said.

He added he would discuss things with his lawyer but did not give further details of what approach he would take in the next hearing of the trial.

'€œIt will be a surprise,'€ he said when leaving the courtroom.

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