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Anas attacks Yudhoyono, again, in defense statement
Happy suspect: Defendant Anas Urbaningrum (right) submits his defense statement challenging an indictment by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday
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Happy suspect: Defendant Anas Urbaningrum (right) submits his defense statement challenging an indictment by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday. Anas is standing trial on graft and money-laundering charges in connection with the construction of the Hambalang sports complex. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma) (right) submits his defense statement challenging an indictment by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday. Anas is standing trial on graft and money-laundering charges in connection with the construction of the Hambalang sports complex. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
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span class="inline inline-none">Happy suspect: Defendant Anas Urbaningrum (right) submits his defense statement challenging an indictment by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday. Anas is standing trial on graft and money-laundering charges in connection with the construction of the Hambalang sports complex. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
Graft suspect and former Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum told the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had lobbied to have Anas charged with graft in the Hambalang sports complex construction case, for which he is now standing trial.
Reading out a 30-page defense statement, Anas suggested he had been charged with graft because Yudhoyono had targeted him in an internal party power struggle.
Anas said that on Feb. 4, 2013, Yudhoyono had pressured the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) into taking concrete steps to resolve 'legal issues' that were associated with Anas.
The defendant also recalled how Yudhoyono, then speaking as chairman of the Democratic Party's central executive board, had said, 'If [Anas] is found guilty, then we accept his wrongdoing. And if he isn't guilty, then we'd like to know if this [investigation] is not wrong.'
Anas suggested that with this statement the President was subtly asserting Anas' guilt.
'Pak SBY's insistence was followed by the release of 'special' survey results that culminated in a bout of cornering statements,' Anas told the court, referring to the President's initials.
Anas continued, saying that Syarif Hasan, another member of the Democratic Party's central executive board, had prematurely disclosed Anas would be named as a suspect in the case after meeting with Yudhoyono in Cikeas, West Java, on Feb. 7, just three days after the President had allegedly lobbied the KPK.
The next day, Yudhoyono took over the party chairmanship, telling Anas to devote his energy to dealing with the KPK's investigation of him.
Additionally, Anas, in addressing his alleged attempt to bribe the party's executive members in the 2010 Democrat Congress, said that Yudhoyono had quelled all opposition in the contest to win the central executive board chairmanship for himself.
'In the chairman selection process, the President asked to be voted for unanimously without any other candidates,' he said.
Anas maintained that there was thus no possible way for him to have bribed the regional executive council (DPC) members making the decision. 'The President specifically asked to be supported, and so the DPC who were supporting me voted for him,' he said.
A defense statement prepared by Anas' legal team further harked on Yudhoyono's supposed enmity for the defendant.
'The President misused his authority by intervening in the law and displayed his antagonistic attitude toward the suspect, considering there were so many potential suspects in the case,' said Adnan Buyung Nasution, one of several attorneys defending Anas in court.
Adnan also said that his client was facing a 'forced political indictment' in being accused of amassing illicit funds to finance a presidential bid.
In addition to attacking Yudhoyono in his statement, Anas also shrugged off his indictment, saying it was based on incredulous testimony provided by graft convict and former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin. (tjs)
