Former Bandung tax official on trial for bribery

The bribery trial of Dedy Suwardi began at the Corruption Court on Tuesday. The former Bandung Tax Investigation Office employee allegedly accepted Rp 550 million (US$61,676) in bribes linked to tax audits of PT Bank Jabar.
 
“The defendant knew that the money he accepted was related to a request from PT Bank Jabar to reduce the amount of the bank’s back taxes for the 2001 and 2002 fiscal years,” prosecutor Muhibuddin said.
 
According to the indictment, Dedy; his superior, Eddi Setiadi; and co-workers Roy Yuliandri, Muhammad Yazid, and Dien Rajana Mulya, had allegedly accepted a total of Rp 2.55 billion (US$285,600) in “consulting fees” from the bank’s former accounting chief, Herry Achmad Buchory.

Bank Jabar paid Rp 4.98 billion of an estimated Rp 74.1 billion tax liability in 2001 and Rp 7.28 of a Rp 25.58 billion tax bill in 2001.
 
The Corruption Court previously sentenced Eddi to sixty-six months’ imprisonment and ordered him to pay a Rp 200 million fine. (lnd)