KPK to quiz judges in BI graft

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 02/25/2008 12:02 PM  |  Headlines

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said it would questions all judges and prosecutors allegedly involved in the misappropriation of Bank Indonesia (BI) funds worth Rp 100 billion (US$10.81 million), an official said Sunday.

"Everything is possible in this case, including questioning the judges and prosecutors," KPK chairman Antasari Azhar said.

"But we must act based on evidence, not just assumptions."

Antasari said their efforts could take time but the KPK would use a 2004 law that allowed the anti-graft body to question all judges and prosecutors, including from the district court, high court and Supreme Court.

The law stipulates KPK may question anyone, including state officials, who are suspected to be involved in any graft case, without asking for the president's permission.

"We will reveal the result of the investigation to the public during the court sessions later," Antasari said.

BI Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah, who has been named a suspect in the case, is due to be questioned for the second time by KPK on Monday.

"As usual, tomorrow (Monday) at 10 a.m. Pak Burhanuddin will arrive at KPK, " Burhanuddin's lawyer Amir Syamsuddin told Antara.

Amir said he has asked KPK not to detain Burhanuddin due to "his strategic job as the governor of the central bank".

"However, it depends on KPK," he said.

"I hope both the investigation of the case and the work of BI will go on well."

A letter from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to KPK in November 2006, a copy which was sent to The Jakarta Post, named lawyers, prosecutors and judges handling cases of BI officials implicated in billions of dollars of the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) graft case.

The letter said the misappropriation of the Rp 100 billion of BI funds saw money disbursed between 2003 and 2004.

Some Rp 68.5 billion was used to hire lawyers for the resolution of BLBI case and some Rp 31.5 billion was allegedly given to several members of the House of Representatives Commission IX (now Commission XI) overseeing financial affairs during the amendment of the law on finance.

The letter said Rp 68.5 billion of the funds was submitted to law enforcement officials at the Attorney General's Office in bribes to stop cases that involved former BI governors and directors, including Soedrajad Djiwandono, Iwan R. Prawiranata, Heru Supraptomo, Paul Sutopo and Hendrobudianto.

The letter said Heru, Paul and Hendrobudianto were only given 1.5 years in prison while Soedrajad and Iwan's cases were dropped by the AGO.

Besides Burhanuddin, KPK has named BI's Legal Affairs Director Oey Hoey Tiong and former BI communication bureau Rusli Simanjutak as suspects in the graft case.

It has detained Oey and Rusli since Feb. 14.

KPK has also issued a travel ban on active and former BI officials implicated in the case, including former BI governors Soedrajat and Syahril Sabirin, and former deputy governors Aulia Pohan, Aslim Tadjuddin, Bun Bunan Hutapea, Maman H. Soemantri, and Iwan.

The former House member, who is now Jambi's Deputy Governor Anthony Zeidra Abidin, was also included in the list. (ewd)

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