Police say they will charge their controversial former chief detective for defamation, while the presidential antigraft task force calls for an investigation into those named by Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji as alleged case brokers.
“We believe he has insulted the police institution,” National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said Friday on the plan to charge Susno.
He was responding to Susno’s allegations that several police generals had acted as case brokers while handling money laundering and tax evasion cases involving a member of the Taxation Directorate General by the name of Gayus Tambunan.
The investigations that Susno claimed were tampered with were conducted properly, Edward told the press.
Susno also mentioned initials of police officials allegedly involved in the case. Among them were “Brig. Gen. RE”, “Brig. Gen. EI”, and a top-ranking officer who was “second in command” during the investigation.
The case began when Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center (PPATK) found indications of irregularity in Gayus’ bank account, worth Rp 25 billion.
Also attending the press conference, Brig. Gen. Raja Erizman, the director of the special economic crimes division at the National Police whose initials were mentioned by Susno, said he would file charges against Susno for defamation too.
“Prosecutors had long stated there was nothing wrong with the case. I have learned that Susno came to the public about this with no supporting evidence,” he said.
Raja had reportedly said Susno’s allegations were a case of “the pot calling the kettle black”, but when asked what he really meant by this, Edward quickly dismissed the question as “a slip of the tongue”, while Raja remained silent.
Lampung Police chief Brig. Gen. Edmon Ilyas, the former director of the economic crimes division, also said he would file a complaint.
Edward said a team comprising officials from the internal affairs division had been formed to question Susno.
Susno had been “invited” for questioning for a second time, nextMonday, he said. Susno refused to attend the first invitation saying he had also been invited to a meeting with the presidential Judicial Corruption Eradication Task Force.
Task force secretary Denny Indrayana told the police to let the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigate Susno’s report on an alleged involvement of case brokers in the tax crime case.
“Surely it would be better for the KPK to be part of the law enforcement process here,” Denny said.
“The National Police chief should allow the KPK to handle this case, to make matters clearer. The more settled the better,” he said.
Denny added that while he had not reported the case to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono yet, he believed the latter would support the task force given that the problems were related to taxation issues.
“Taxation is among the government’s main focus areas because between 70 and 80 percent of the country’s revenues come from taxes,” he said.
