T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has filed a new charge against the former chief of the National Police Traffic Corps Djoko Susilo and accused him of money laundering.

The KPK decided to bring the new charges against Djoko last week but announced the decision after questioning Djoko on Monday.

“We expect to combine the penalties he would get from corruption and money laundering,” Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Johan Budi said on Monday.

Johan said that KPK investigators also found evidence supporting Djoko’s illicit practice.

“We alleged the money laundering activities after we found him transferring and hiding money obtained from the driving simulator procurement project,” Johan added.

The KPK investigators charge Djoko under Article 3 and/or Article 4 of the 2010 Money Laundering Law.

The articles stipulates that anyone who changes the form of illegally obtained money and takes the effort to hide its source can be punished with a maximum jail sentence of 20 years.

Article 3 and 4 of the Money Laundering Law carry a maximum fine of Rp 10 billion and Rp 5 billion respectively.

Djoko is believed to have caused around Rp 100 billion in state losses.

Johan said that KPK investigators wanted to use the Money Laundering Law more in cases to support the agency’s fight against corruption — Djoko was one of many high-profile targets.

Djoko said that the law also shifted the burden of proof, which makes it easy for prosecutors to execute.

Based on the law, judges can order defendants to provide evidence that their wealth was not acquired through illicit means.

Johan also said that KPK investigators had traced Djoko’s assets and blocked his many bank accounts.

Jamil Mubarok of the Indonesia Transparency Society (MTI) lauded the KPK’s move, saying that the Money Laundering Law could also help in the recovery of lost state assets.

“We should support the KPK’s move in using the Money Laundering Law more often,” he said.

Jamil said that not only could the law help to recover state assets, it could also be a strong deterrent.

A criminal law and money laundering expert from Trisakti University, Yenti Garnasih, told the Jakarta Post recently that the Money Laundering Law had also been effective in combating corruption.

Yenti said that corruptors often hide their wealth through money laundering.

The commission detained Djoko following five months of tug-of-war that involved members of the National Police besieging the KPK headquarters after the KPK named Djoko a graft suspect in the same case on July 27. The KPK had previously charged him with Article 2 and Article 3 of the Corruption Law, alleging him of abusing his authority to enrich himself.

The graft case centers on the procurement of 700 two-wheeled and 556 four-wheeled driving
simulators in 2011.

Djoko is the third graft suspect charged with the Money Laundering Law by the KPK following the cases of former member of the House of Representatives budget committee Wa Ode Nurhayati and former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin.