M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – A former business associate of well-connected businessman Tomy Winata told the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday that his Artha Graha company security guards' threats of violence had always been a fixture of how Tomy did business.
In his testimony in the trial against Tempo magazine journalists, Hartono Setiawan, a former corporate client of Artha Graha Bank, said that the bank security guards occupied and tried to seize his newly constructed hotel in Bali in 2000. The mob accused Hartono of defaulting on his 1996 loan.
"Without prior notification of the amount of my debt or my default on said loan, Tomy's men just occupied Planet Bali Hotel, sealed it off and screened those entering and exiting the hotel," he said, referring to his hotel and entertainment spot in Bali.
Hartono said that his debt to Tomy had reached Rp 64 billion (US$7.62 million) in 2000, after soaring from the original figure of Rp 8.5 billion in 1996 before the economic crisis hit.
"Tomy or the bank officials never informed me of the amount of my debt. When I had difficulties repaying, Tomy forced me to immediately hand over all my property and other assets in Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali," he told the court.
Hartono appeared after being summoned by Tempo defense lawyers to testify about Tomy's image amongst his competitors in the business world and whether there could have been any further tarnishing by the article run in the magazine.
Tempo's office on Jl. Proklamasi, Central Jakarta, was attacked by hundreds of Tomy's supporters from the Artha Graha group in March 2003, following the issue that contained the article 'Is there Tomy in Tenabang?'. The article insinuated that the businessman had a hand in the Tanah Abang market fire to benefit from the subsequent rebuilding contract.
Before Hartono testified, prosecutors and the panel of judges seemed reluctant to allow him on the stand and questioned the relevance of having a businessman testify.
Prosecutors then grilled Hartono, noted for being the owner of brothels and having a criminal record, hoping the judges would say he was not credible to testify.
Presiding Judge Andriani Nurdin gave Hartono the go-ahead to testify only after the defense team convinced her that the witness would not delve into Tomy's personal life.
"If the prosecutors are allowed to question the witness on his credibility, we also have the right to ask questions about Tomy's credibility," lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis said.
Earlier in the trial, Tempo journalist Abdul Manan testified that he was assaulted by one of Tomy's head security men David Tjioe, alias A Miauw, while policemen, who were present inside the Tempo office building on March 8, 2003, looked on but did nothing. David was acquitted of those assault charges in July.
Tempo chief editor Bambang Harymurti, journalists Ahmad Taufik and T. Iskandar Ali have been charged with violating Article 14(1) of the Criminal Code for publishing a report that could provoke unrest. If found guilty, they could face a maximum of 10 years in a state penitentiary.
The judge adjourned the trial until March 8, to hear testimonies from other witnesses including Central Jakarta Mayor Hosea Petra Lumbun and former underworld leader Anton Medan.