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Showing posts from June, 2005

KPU Under Fire

Who would have thought that Mulyana W. Kusumah would find himself in the defendant's chair at the Corruption Crimes Court? LOCATED in Kuningan, South Jakarta, the courthouse was packed with visitors. At the outset of the court session, prosecutors Suwarji, Chatarina Muliana and Muhibuddin gave a chronology of the events surrounding the misappropriation of ballot boxes during the 2004 General Elections. The prosecution started with Mulyana's meeting with KPU Deputy Secretary-General, Sussondko Suhardjo, who endorsed the contract for the provision of ballot boxes, in January 2005. At the time, Mulyana was acting in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee for the Supply of Election Ballot Boxes for 2004. According to the prosecution, this meeting was held to discuss the results of investigation reports issued by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) Investigation Inspecting Sub-team, indicating corruption, collusion and nepotism during the provision of ballot boxes. The prosecution the

An Excessive Sentence?

The public prosecutor in Bali filed an appeal on the 20-year prison sentence for Corby, considering it too light. Why are the airport police reluctant to do a fingerprinting test? MERCEDES Corby cried and shouted, "Schapelle is innocent. This verdict is unjust," she shrieked at the judge in Bali, sentencing Schapelle Leigh Corby to 20 years in prison. The 30-year-old woman sobbed loudly, disappointed over the court's decision, and a fine of Rp100 million against her younger sister, Schapelle. Corby, 27, a university student from Brisbane, Australia, was tried for possession of 4.2 kilograms of marijuana upon arriving at the Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport on October 8, 2004. Airport authorities discovered the drug in two plastic containers in her bag, along with a pair of scuba flippers and a surfboard. Corby was charged under Law No. 2/1977 on Narcotics. She was found guilty of transporting Class I narcotics into Indonesian territory. This type of violation is punishable b