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Ex-ambassadors to China grilled over corruption
Two former Indonesian ambassadors to China facing questioning for the first time over the alleged embezzlement of immigration fees have vowed to return the stolen money, prosecutors said Monday
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Two former Indonesian ambassadors to China facing questioning for the first time over the alleged embezzlement of immigration fees have vowed to return the stolen money, prosecutors said Monday.
Assistant attorney general for special crimes Marwan Effendy said despite their pledge, investigations would continue into Rear Adm. (ret) Anak Agung Kustia and his predecessor Lt. Gen. (ret) Kuntara, who served as ambassadors from 2000 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2004, respectively.
"Their lawyers told prosecutors both (Kuntara and Kustia) would return the money. However, the criminal charges leveled at them will not be dropped and the investigation will continue," Marwan said after the questioning session.
Marwan said the judges would consider the two suspects' decision to reimburse the money as mitigating evidence that could help reduce their prison terms.
Kuntara and Kustia arrived for questioning at the Attorney General's Office after being named suspects in a case linked to corrupt activities which occurred between May 2000 and October 2004. The scandal centers on immigration fees charged to applicants for visa documents, passports and special travel documents.
A decree on immigration fees issued by the Indonesian ambassador to China on Sept. 24, 1999, stipulated a revised procedure for channeling the money and stated applicants must pay 55 yuan for a passport.
Instead of transferring the money to state coffers as non-tax revenue, the suspects pocketed around 10.3 million yuan and US$9,600 from the additional fees, Marwan said.
"In our investigation, we discovered the money had been channeled to several individuals for personal purposes, such as serving the embassy's guests," Marwan said.
The funds distributed to embassy guests were for accommodation and entertainment costs in addition to spending money.
Among the guests were officials from Indonesia, Marwan said, and the AGO vowed to track them down and demand they return the money.
The AGO is still waiting for the completion of an audit by the State Financial Development Comptroller (BPKP) to determine the exact state losses in the case.
"We suspect they have personally taken around Rp 10 billion," he said.
Both Kuntara, a former Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) chief, and Kustia, a former State Intelligence Agency official, were tightlipped after the questioning.
Kuntara's lawyer Peter Silalahi dismissed the AGO's claim that his client would return the money.
"I haven't heard about that. (The questioning) hasn't gotten that far yet," Peter said, adding his client faced 27 questions.
Peter denied his client had ever embezzled money from the embassy.
"My client informed me the money had all gone to state coffers as non-tax revenue... none went to his pocket," he said.
Kustia's lawyer Panhar Makawi also refused to comment following the interrogation where his client faced 32 questions.
Prosecutors did not detain the two suspects, citing their cooperation as a reason for bail.
The scandal is the third to implicate the Indonesian diplomatic corps.
The Corruption Court sentenced former Indonesian envoy to Malaysia A. Hadi Wayarabi and his successor Rusdihardjo to two years' imprisonment each for doubling immigration fees early this year. Last week, the same court sentenced former envoy to Singapore M. Slamet Hidayat to three years in jail for embezzling budget funds for the renovation of the embassy's office building and adjoining housing complex.
