TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Another top officer named a suspect in tax case
A third police officer has been named a suspect in a multi-billion-rupiah corruption case centering around a low-ranking tax official
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A third police officer has been named a suspect in a multi-billion-rupiah corruption case centering around a low-ranking tax official.
The latest officer taking the fall is Sr. Comr. Pambudi Pamungkas, the former head of the National Police’s economic crimes unit, sources at police headquarters said.
The police’s chief legal adviser, Chairul Huda, confirmed Friday that Pambudi had been declared a suspect in the case of Gayus Tambunan, a tax official who had been acquitted in an earlier trial of any wrongdoing after amassing Rp 28 billion (US$3.08 million).
The National Police recently said their handling of the previous investigation into Gayus had been questionable, leading to the officers in charge being examined.
“[Pambudi] was considered to have manipulated the investigation,” Chairul said.
A police source said Pambudi was also believed to have tampered with “early evidence”, alluding to Gayus’ personal bank accounts at BCA, Panin Bank and Bank Mandiri.
The source added that following investigations into the accounts, “Pambudi only recommended blocking two of Gayus’ personal bank accounts, when in fact he was supposed to block all three accounts”.
The source said the recommendation had been signed by Pambudi and was later approved by his superior Brig. Gen. Edmon Ilyas.
The latter, whose latest position was the Lampung police chief has since been removed from his post and questioned in the case.
Other officers examined for violation of the police code of ethics include Brig. Gen. Raja Erizman and Sr. Comr. Eko Budi Sampurno.
Two others have been named suspects: Comr. Muhammad Arafat Enanie and Adj. Comr. Sri Sumartini.
All were investigators at the National Police’s economic crimes division, and had been involved in the Gayus case.
Both Arafat and Sumartini are alleged to have taken bribes to manipulate the course of the previous investigation into Gayus.
The revelations followed public statements by former chief detective Susno Duadji that several high-ranking officers played key roles as brokers in various cases.
Susno made the statements shortly after being removed from his post, in the wake of his own name emerging in wiretapped conversations with the brother of a businessman being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The police say investigators are still gathering more evidence to confirm testimonies given by Gayus and his lawyer, Haposan Hutagalung, that Pambudi and Edmon each took a $50,000 bribe.
When asked about Pambudi’s legal status, National Police spokesman Edward Aritonang declined to answer, saying only that he was still waiting for the investigators’ meeting to conclude.
