Jakarta – Graft convict Nunun Nurbaeti testified at the trial of former central bank senior deputy governor Miranda S. Goeltom on Monday that the latter had asked her to serve as a go-between for her with members of the House of Representatives.

"Miranda asked me as a favor to arrange a meeting between her and the House members. The meeting took place at my house and it was arranged so that she could pass the fit-and-proper test," Nunun told the court.

Nunun said that Miranda had previously insisted in a phone call that she be given privileges during the screening by lawmakers. Nunun later arranged the meeting between Miranda and a number of lawmakers at her private residence in Cipete, South Jakarta.

It was during the meeting that Nunun overheard one of the lawmakers say something about a "thank-you" project. "This is not a 'thank-you' project, I heard one of them say. I just can't recall who said it," she said.

Nunun said that lawmakers at the meeting included Endin AJ Soefihara from the United Development Party (PPP) and Paskah Suzetta and Hamka Yamdu from the Golkar Party. All have denied the meeting ever took place.

The prosecutors have accused Miranda, together with Nunun, of distributing Rp 20.85 billion (US$2.2 million) in the form of Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) travelers' checks to lawmakers Hamka, Dudhie Makmun Murod of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Endin and Udju Djuhaeri of the Indonesian Military/National Police faction, in June 2004.

Nunun has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for her role in the case. In spite of her conviction, Nunun has denied that she served as a go-between in the scandal.

Nunun said she was not aware of what Miranda and the lawmakers discussed during the meeting at her home. "I did not follow the discussion and I only joined them after the meeting had ended," she said.

Nunun, who was a fugitive for several months in 2011 and claimed to suffer from memory loss, also told the court that she had forgotten most of the details of the meeting.

Later in the trial, another witness in the case, Ari Malangjudo, rebutted Nunun's claim, saying that she had instructed him to distribute Rp 20.85 billion in traveler's checks to lawmakers to support Miranda's bid to be Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor. Ari, a former executive of one of Nunun's companies, claimed that Nunun had instructed him to distribute envelopes to lawmakers on June 8, 2004. Nunun has denied she gave any such instruction.

During Monday's hearing, Nunun and Miranda, who both claim they are not close friends, appeared amiable toward each other. Judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court adjourned the trial until Thursday. (cor)