Indonesia says central bank chief on trial in weeks

September 11, 2000
Web posted at: 7:31 PM HKT (1131 GMT)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) -- The Indonesian attorney-general said on Monday detained central bank Governor Sjahril Sabirin's corruption trial over a politically-charged bank scandal would go ahead within a month.

"Sjahril Sabirin will be tried within the coming three or four weeks," Marzuki Darusman told reporters.

Sabirin, who has been charged with corruption, denies any wrongdoing. He faces between 20 years and life in jail if convicted, officials have said.

The scandal erupted last year and revolves around a 546 billion rupiah (then $70 million) collection fee Bank Bali paid to a firm with links to the then-ruling Golkar party to recover money owed by a government agency.

Sabirin was detained in June after a public feud with President Abdurrahman Wahid which prompted the central bank and some politicians to accuse Wahid of meddling with an institution that has its independence guaranteed by law.

The main defendant in the Bank Bali scandal, a businessman, was acquitted by a court late last month of graft charges, embarrassing the government as it tries to restore confidence in the country's legal system.

It was unclear what impact that verdict might have on Sabirin's trial.

In Sabirin's absence, senior deputy governor Anwar Nasution has taken over as acting head of the central bank.

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