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Sick Suryadharma skips trial
Disgraced: Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali stands trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court
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Disgraced: Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali stands trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court. Apparently suffering ill health, Suryadharma did not attend a hearing on Tuesday at which Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors were scheduled to read out their charges against the haj graft case defendant. (Tempo) (KPK) prosecutors were scheduled to read out their charges against the haj graft case defendant. (Tempo)
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span class="inline inline-center">Disgraced: Former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali stands trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court. Apparently suffering ill health, Suryadharma did not attend a hearing on Tuesday at which Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors were scheduled to read out their charges against the haj graft case defendant. (Tempo)
Citing health reasons, former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali failed to attend a trial hearing on Tuesday at which Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors were scheduled to read out their charges against him.
KPK prosecutor Abdul Basir explained that Suryadharma could not attend the trial as his blood pressure was high and he was suffering psychological torment.
'A medical diagnosis report provided by the KPK's team of doctors showed that the defendant's blood pressure stood at 170/100 mmhg and that he was under psychological pressure [...]. Based on this temporary diagnosis, [Suryadharma] was unable to attend the trial,' Abdul said at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday afternoon.
The KPK team had been scheduled to read out the charges against the former minister, who is accused of involvement in a graft case surrounding the government haj program between 2010 and 2013.
Suryadharma's lawyer, Andreas Nahot Silitonga, confirmed that his client had high blood pressure and had asked to undergo in-patient medical treatment for several days.
One of the judges on the panel, Haswijon, however, refused the request, submitted by Andreas and KPK prosecutors, for Suryadharma to be permitted in-patient treatment. Haswijon said the panel had decided to go on with the trial on Wednesday, although the court would also continue to monitor the development of the defendant's health.
Suryadharma is accused of appointing people deemed incompetent to the Saudi Arabia-based haj organizing committee (PPIH) and of giving unused haj quota seats to people not on the official list. His misdeeds reportedly caused state losses of Rp 27.28 billion (US$1.9 million) and 17.97 million Saudi riyals.
He is furthermore accused of accommodating requests by House of Representatives Commission VIII, which oversees religious affairs, to enable certain people to go on the haj for free and appointing others as PPIH officials.
In addition, Suryadharma is accused of enabling relatives, staff members, private guards and his drivers and their wives to go on the haj for free.
The KPK has charged Suryadharma under articles 2 (1) and 18 of Law No. 31/1999 in reference to Law No. 20/2001 on corruption eradication and articles 55 (1) and 65 (1) of the Criminal Code. (ebf)
