Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The former Bank Indonesia (BI) deputy governor Budi Mulya is scheduled to stand trial in early March, on charges of abusing his authority in the Bank Century bailout case.

"His trial will begin early next month. This morning, the investigator only handed over (his dossiers) to the public prosecutor," Luhut M. Pangaribuan, Budi Mulyas lawyer, stated at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) here on Tuesday.

Budi Mulya, who was former BI deputy governor for foreign exchange management, has been under detention since November 15, last year.

"The investigation of Budi Mulyas case has concluded and the result of the investigation has been handed over to the public prosecutor," he added.

According to the public prosecutor, a letter of indictment against Budi Mulya will be completed in two weeks time and the first trial session will start in early March, he remarked.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has interrogated more than 90 witnesses related to the bailout case since 2009. They included those attending a meeting of the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) in November 2008, in order to decide the bailout of the ailing bank, at the peak of the global financial crisis in 2008.

The witnesses included former BI governor Boediono, who is currently the vice president, former KSSK chief and finance minister Sri Mulyani, former commissioner of the Deposit Insurance Institute (LPS) and KSSK member Darmin Nasution, Director General of Taxation Fuad Rahmany, who was formerly the chief of the Capital Market and Financial Institutions Supervisory Board (Bappepam-LK).

The others were former BI deputy governor Muliamam Hahad, who is currently serving as the chief of the Financial Service Authority (OJK) and former executive director of BIs banking research and regulation directorate Halim Alamsyah, who is currently serving as the deputy governor of BI.

"He (Budi Mulya) will divulge details about the entire process of granting a short-term funding facility (to Bank Century) because he was involved in the decision-making process," Luhut remarked.

He refused to speculate on whether the KPK will name another suspect in the case.

"We have no idea about the indictment. We cannot speculate on whether or not he will be a single suspect in the case," he reported.

Bank Century received a bailout of Rp6.7 trillion during the financial crisis of 2008, despite failing to fulfill the requirements for the bailout.

According to the State Audit Board (BPK), Bank Indonesia did not take strict action against the bank. Instead, it altered its own regulations in order to allow the bank to receive the loan.

Budi Mulya was detained as a suspect for his role in extending a short-term funding facility to Bank Century and declaring it a failed bank. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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