Monday, May 18, 2009 5:11 PM Be a member & get the benefits! Register or login Businessman claims he first sought lawmaker in graft scandal

Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 05/18/2009 1:42 PM | National

A businessman testified in court on Monday that he had initially sought to be introduced to lawmaker Jhonny Allen Marbu, but was instead directed to Abdul Hadi Djamal instead.

Hontjo Kurniawan confirmed that he had asked Transportation Ministry official Darmawati Dareho to mediate between the two parties.

"Hontjo Kurniawan, as a commissioner of PT Kurnia Jaya Wirabhakti, told Darmawati Dareho that he expected to be appointed as developer for the ministry's stimulus program and asked her to introduce him to a budgetary committee member Jhonny Allen Marbun," prosecutor Edy Hartoyo said in his indictment at the Corruption Court on Monday.

The committee was discussing a Rp 100 billion (US$9.6 million) budget for infrastructure in Eastern Indonesia.

Edy went on to say Dareho had introduced the defendant to Abdul Hadi Djamal by phone instead and they agreed to meet on Feb. 23.

"On Feb. 23 Hontjo and Abdul met at Hotel Mulia at around 18 p.m. He asked Abdul to approve a budget proposal for the project and Hontjo told Abdul that he would provide Rp 3 billion to smooth the approval," he said.

The payment was made through Darmawati in three installments.

The first was made on Feb. 26 at Beautika Restaurant, where Hontjo gave Darmawati US$80,000 and Rp 32 million to be given to Abdul.

The second installment, amounting to $70,000, was paid later that day at the Sate Senayan Restaurant.

The last payment was made on March 2, when the defendant asked his staffer Taty Suhartaty to hand over $90,000 and Rp 54.5 million to Darmawati at a salon in Central Jakarta.

"At 7 p.m. Darmawati handed over the money to Abdul in his car," prosecutor Edy read on.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials later arrested the defendant in the Sudirman area on March 3.

Hontjo and Darmawati were each charged with violating article 5 on bribery of the 1999 Anti-Corruption Law, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.