The Attorney General's Office (AGO) appears to be calm amid pressure to hunt down Joko Soegiarto Tjandra, a convict involved in a Banking Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) graft scandal who fled to Papua New Guinea.
The AGO could no longer reach Joko because the businessman was now outside Indonesia, deputy attorney general for special crimes Marwan Effendy said Monday.
"Besides, Joko's lawyer has sent us a mail citing that he would surrender soon. We take this as goodwill from Joko's side. Let's just wait," Marwan said at a hearing session between the AGO and lawmakers from House of Representatives' Commission III on law and human rights.
Joko had travelled from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusumah Airport to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, aboard a charter jet on June 10, the day before the Supreme Court issued a verdict sentencing him to two years' imprisonment.
In 2001, the Supreme Court cleared Joko and his fellow convict in the case, Syahril Sabirin, of all charges. However, the court granted the prosecutors a judicial review and ordered both serve two years in prison and pay Rp 546 billion (US$53.95 million) as restitution to the state.
Unlike the businessman, former central bank governor Syahril began serving his prison sentence on June 16.
House Commission III member Azlaini Agus from the National Mandate Party (PAN) blames the AGO for not monitoring Joko's movements more carefully.
"You should have watched Joko after filing judicial review with the Supreme Court, but you just came to his house after the verdict was already issued. As a result, you found an empty house, right?" Azlaini told Marwan.
When asked if the AGO would join forces with interpol or the Foreign Ministry, Marwan said, "We could, but *there are* too many things to deal with."
Indonesia has no extradition agreement with Papua New Guinea.
Another Commission III member, Victor Bungilu Laiskodat from the Golkar Party, said the fact Joko was still untouched had shown the weakness of the justice system.
"You can shower us with all of your reasons and excuses but the people don't want to know. How many corruptors have fled abroad? You have the authority, and you must do that," he told Marwan.
Joko's lawyer, Otto Cornelius Kaligis, submitted a letter to the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, asking for a one-month delay for Joko's surrender. Last year, Joko was allegedly linked to a US$660,000 bribery case investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission involving prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan and businesswoman Artalyta Suryani. (bbs)
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