Jumat 07 Sep 2012 00:07 WIB

Prosecutor: Angie pockets 33.73 billion IDR

Foto: Republika/Tahta Aidilla

Angelina Sondakh attends her first trial at Anti-corruption Court in Jakarta on Thursday.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA- Politician Angelina Patricia Pinkan Sondakh (Angie) on Thursday was charged with pocketing 33.73 billion IDR from Permai Group. "Angelina as a state official namely a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) in the period of 2009-2014 has received 12.58 billion USD and 2.35 million USD," public prosecutor Agus Salim said reading the charges at the corruption court.

The total if the dollar amount was converted into the rupiah at an exchange rate of 9,000 IDR per US dollar would reach 33.73 billion IDR, he said. "The money was given to the defendant as a member of the DPR`s Budget Committee and Coordinator of the Budget Working Group from House Commission X for her readiness to help Permai Group get the budget it demanded for projects of the high learning institute programs of the ministry of education and facility procurement programs of the ministry of sports and youth affairs," he said.

Early in 2010 Angie and Mindo Rosalina Manulang from Permai Grup met to discuss Angie`s readiness to help lead the budget discussion to meet the demand of Permai Group owned by M Nazaruddin, Angie`s fellow member of Commission X and ruling Democrat Party faction.

"In the middle of March 2010, Angie expressed her readiness to help Mindo in exchange for a seven percent fee and 50 percent of which must be paid when the budget discussion began and the rest after the funds were disbursed," he said.

Angie maintained that fifty percent of the fee must be paid in advance because the crucial stage was the discussions. "Other businesses pay 100 percent in advance. We only ask you 50 percent so that we can secure it at the leadership level," the prosecutor quoted Angie's word.

The money was then paid to Angie from March to November 2010 in a number of places such as Angie`s office in DPR, the office of Deputy Coordinator of Working Group I, I Wayan Koster, at DPR, Century Hotel and Paparon`s Pizza Restaurant in Warung Buncit. Angie was charged with violating several articles in the law on corruption and if convicted she could face life in prison.

In response to the charges Angie said she would submit herself to fate. "I have heard the charges and I submit myself to God," she said.