Nunun Nurbaeti: (JP/R. Berto Wedhatama)
The long-awaited trial of graft suspect Nunun Nurbaeti took place on Friday morning at the Jakarta Corruption Court, where prosecutors indicted Nunun for distributing billions of bribes in the 2004 high profile central bank vote-buying case.
Nunun, the alleged go-between in the scandal, is believed to have important information to reveal in relation to the mastermind and benefactor of the bribery scheme, which involved 33 lawmakers at the time.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has sent lawmakers who accepted bribes to jail, but has yet to identify the central benefactor.
The KPK first investigated the case in early 2009 after former lawmaker Agus Condro Prayitno spilled the beans that he, along with dozens of fellow lawmakers at the House of Representatives’ Commission XI on finance, had accepted numbers of travelers' checks to swing the vote for Miranda Swaray Goeltom as central bank senior deputy governor.
Without her signature sunglasses, Nunun appeared at the Jakarta Corruption Court at around 8:30 am, wearing a long, brown batik shirt and brown headscarf.
KPK prosecutors charged Nunun with bribing public officials under Article 5 (1) b of the 2001 Anti-Corruption Law, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
"She is accused of distributing numbers of travelers' checks worth Rp 20.8 billion in total to lawmakers at House's Commission XI," said Andi Suharlis, one of the prosecutors during the trial. "The bribes were paid in relation to Miranda Goeltom selection."
Prosecutors said that Nunun also helped Miranda secure her candidacy by facilitating meetings with several lawmakers.
According to prosecutors, Nunun's colleague under her, Arie Malangjudo, helped her in delivering the bribes.
Prosecutors also accused Nunun of embezzling Rp 1 billion by ordering her secretary to cash 20 travelers' checks. Sumarni, the secretary, later wired the money to Nunun's bank account.
Presiding judge Sudjatmiko ordered her to stand trial after she said she understood the prosecutors’ indictment.
Nunun's lawyer Mulyaharja told the court that she would not demur. The trial was adjourned until next Wednesday at noon.
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