"Based on the available data, the investigation into the case involving ECW Neloe, I Wayan Pugeng and M Sholeh Tasripan has been stopped since June 1, 2011," Prosecution Director at the Junior Attorney General for Special Crime Affairs, M Jasman Pandjaitan said here on Thursday.
He said the team that handled the case was chaired by Prosecutor Andi Lolo and it was decided to stop the investigation based on the results of an expose.
"In essence, it was concluded the state did not suffer any loss in the sale, and Bank Mandiri even gained a profit from it," he said.
He said the payment of the price at which PT Kiani Kertas was sold took place on December 26, 2007.
Earlier, Attorney General Basrief Arief had said, when he was deputy attorney general, he once led an expose of the case and it showed no loss was suffered by the state.
"Bank Mandiri even made a hansome profit from PT Kiani Kertas` sale," he said.
As the transaction did not cause any loss to the state, nothing criminal could be proven.
The taking over worth Rp1.8 trillion of PT Kiani Kertas asset through Bank Mandiri credit facilities had been paid off.
The case began in November 1998. The initial owner of Kiani Kertas, Bob Hasan, handed over the firm to the National Banking Restructuring Agency (BPPN) in connection with the settlement of the debts of Bank Umum Nasionl (BUN) owned by Bob Hasan worth Rp8.9 trillion.
In 2002, BPPN listed the pulp and paper company in the sales list and offered it to investor PT Voyola. PT Voyola was linked to Probowo Subianto who bought all Kiani`s stake worth Rp7.1 trillion.
Prabowo bought PT Kiani Kertas after obtaining a loan from Bank Mandiri amounting to Rp1.8 trillion.
Later on, Kiani faced capital difficulties and Bank Mandiri urged Pt Vayola to cooperate with a new investor to restructure the company`s debts.
But PT Kiani`s debts remained unpaid, it even increased to Rp2.2 trillion and the creeits turned bad.
Previously, Neloe (former Bank Mandiri president director), Pugeg (former deputy director) and Tasripan (former Corporate Banking director) become defendants in Bank Mandiri`s credit corruption case with PT Cipta Graha Nusantara worth Rp160 billion. But the South Jakarta district court acquitted them of corruption charges in February 2006.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
