Witnesses indecisive in case involving former Lippo boss

Corruption eradication commission (KPK) prosecutors projected a video recording Wednesday they claim is evidence of corruption among former Lippo Group executive Billy Sindoro competition and the Supervisory Board (KPPU) member Muhammad Iqbal. 

The recording showed a black bag with Billy Iqbal pending a lift on the 17th floor of a Jakarta hotel. The bag was transferred to Iqbal, when he entered the elevator with Billy leaving empty-handed. 

Corruption Court prosecutors said the bag contained Rp 500 million (U.S. $ 46,000) in cash as bribes in exchange for a decision support KPPU Lippo subsidiary, PT Direct Vision retain the rights to broadcast the English Premier League last year. 

Billy counsel protested against the screening of the video image, which was also the last minute of his score for the meeting with Iqbal before their arrest. Both Billy and Iqbal were arrested on September 16, 2008 at the hotel after their meeting in a room. 

"We ask the judges to the evidence, because we doubt its authenticity," the lawyer Billy Otto Hasibuan told the court. 

Yusni Irwandi, a former engineer of the hotel, said in his testimony that KPK officials asked for a copy of the record one day after the arrest and that they could not in the CCTV equipment just downloaded. 

"This is not the original recording. In addition, the KPK has not been verified the authenticity of the recording in the hotel or a report to the confiscation of the registration," the he said. 

However, Yusni said the video played to the court described what he saw in the original recording. 

"In addition to the video recording can not be erased or altered," he said. 

He says he does not see his hand on Billy bag Iqbal, a statement issued by five other witnesses in the court. 

Yusni said that because of the limited area, the video surveillance system can not record everything that happened in the elevator when it was installed in the left corner of the elevator. 

Billy's personal assistant Gentar Rahma Pradhan, who was with Billy the day of the KPK arrested, confirmed that the person making the black bag from the house of Billy the administration on September 16, 2008, but says he does not know the contents of the bag. 

He said that the bag in the room and left, as Billy frequently with colleagues in the room. 

"I was waiting in the hotel Business Center as ordered Pak Billy," he said. 

He added that Billy has always been a meeting with his colleagues in the room. - JP / Irawaty Wardany