Yusril Questioned by AGO Again
VIVAnews – Today, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, will again be questioned by the Attorney General’s Office. Yusril, a former Minister of Justice and Human Rights, have been named by three suspects involving the corruption case in the Department of Justice and Human Rights.
The corruption case stems from the Legal Entities Administration System (Sisminbakum) implemented by the Department. The system is a project, which started in 2001, concerning the application of the internet to establish and modify legal entities. The system is used for legalizing company deeds, approving modified statutes of limited liability companies, and fulfilling other requests that are within the ambits of the Director General of Common Law Administration's Decree.
According to Special Crimes Solicitor General, Marwan Effendy, the witnesses of this case stated that the project was based on the Minister of Justice and Human Rights Decree no. M-01.HT.01.01 year 2000, dated 10 October 2000, which Yusril signed. “We will see if the signature can be accounted for,” Marwan said.
Yusril was questioned by Attorney General’s Office in South Jakarta on Tuesday, 18 Nov. He came at 09.50 am and was without any legal representative. “I came alone because I am to be questioned as a witness,” Yusril said. On Tuesday, Yusril was already questioned for 12 hours. A colleague form the Moon and Star Party (PBB), Mochtar Ngabalin, was with him during the questioning.
With regard to Yusril being back for questioning today, AGO’s spokesperson, Jasman Panjaitan said, “Yusril is still needed as witness to the Sisminbakum case.”
Yusril arrived at the AGO today, 20 November 2008, at 14.10 WIB in a black Volvo. He immediately headed to the AGO’s Special Crimes office.
PT Sarana Rekatama Dinamika, a private entity, was appointed to be in charge of executing the project. Yusril allegedly signed an agreement regarding how the money from the project was to be distributed on 7 March 2001.
Before being examined by the AGO, today, Yusril said that “the relevant agreement was signed on 25th July 2001, meaning that the minister at that time was Marsilam Simanjuntak.” Marsilam was Yusril’s successor for Minister of Justice and Human Rights.
The agreement that Yusril is referring to is with regard to the distribution of funds. The Department’s Workers Protection Cooperative was to get 40 percent of the access fees and 60 percent was to go to the Directorate General of Common Law Administration.
According to Yusril, the agreement with regard to the distribution of funds from the online system was signed nine months after the system was established. “As of 8 February 2001, I was no longer the minister. From June 2001 to 2002, Marsilam Simanjuntak was the minister. Therefore it’s natural that I didn’t know and received no reports. These were new facts,” he said.
When asked if Yusril will be named a suspect, Jasman said, “We’ll see the level of involvement. It’s possible he becomes a suspect.” According to Jasman, such determination is the within the investigator’s authority after analyzing the result of the investigation.
The three individuals that have so far been named suspects of the case all pointed their fingers on Yusril, saying that he was most responsible for the case. The three suspects were former General Directors of the Common Law Administration (AHU), Romli Atmasasmita and Zulkarnain Yunus, and also the current General Director, Syamsudin Manan Sinaga. “It's common, they're suspects, and because they're afraid, they want to pass on the blame,” said Marwan Effendy, Special Crimes Solicitor General.
The AGO has also questioned Yusril's ex-wife, Kessy Sukaesih. Meanwhile, Hamid Awaluddin, another former Minister of Justice and Human Rights, is scheduled to be questioned tomorrow, Friday, 21 Nov.
The AGO also plans on calling Andi Mattalatta, current Minister of Justice and Human Rights. However, this will depend on further investigation. “It’s not definite when he would be called in. We will see the development from the investigator,” said Jasman Panjaitan.
The loss to the state from this alleged corruption of the Legal Entities Administration System is estimated to be Rp 400 billion (approx. US$34 million).
As covered by VIVAnews reporters.
