Corruption could lead Indonesia to bankruptcy with statistics showing that in just four months white-collar crime has cost the country a whopping Rp 2 trillion (US$194 million).

Attorney General Hendarman Supandji told a hearing with the House of Representatives’ Commission III on legal affairs Monday that the amount was accrued from more than 425 corruption cases investigated by the state prosecutors between January and April of

this year.

Despite the court currently being in the process of hearing nearly 340 cases, much of the stolen money looks to remain irretrievable.

“Most of the cases were reported a long time ago, making it difficult for the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to gather sufficient evidence and witnesses,” Hendarman said.

Indonesia’s fight against corruption shifted up several notches with the establishment of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 2003. The commission brought to justice a prosecutor for corruption last year.

In an apparent bid to rival the KPK, Hendarman has instructed all regional prosecutor’s offices nationwide to intensify their crackdown on corruption suspects or face punishment.

Deputy attorney general Mochtar Arifin said however that out of 20 alleged corruption fugitives, the AGO had only managed to reel in 5 due to a lack of evidence. While those high-profile suspects have since stood trial and been found guilty, many remain at large outside the country. They include Tan Edi Sutrisno, Bambang Sutrisno, Adrian Kiki Ariawan, Sudjiono Timan, Eko Adi Purwanto, Maria Pauline Lomuwa, Rico Hendrawan, Hendra alias Hendra Lee, Robert Pale Kutcher, Irawan Salim, Amri Irawan, Lisa Evianti Inan Santosa, Hendra Liem and Budiyanto.

“We managed to capture five fugitives — David Nusa Wijaya, Dharmono K. Lawi, Adrian Kiki Ariawan, Tabrani Ismail, and Jefri Baso,” Mochtar said.

David was sentenced to four years in prison for embezzling Rp 1.3 trillion in the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI) scandal.

Adrian was found guilty in absentia in November 2002 of misappropriating Rp 1.9 trillion (US$175 million) under the BLBI scheme in 1997 and sentenced to life in prison.

The Australian Federal Police have placed Adrian in its custody, pending his extradition to Indonesia.

However, Mochtar said it would take years to bring Adrian home as he can appeal his arrest in Australia, dragging out the sentencing process.

Tabrani, a former operations director of state oil and gas company Pertamina, was sentenced to six years in jail, fined Rp 30 million and ordered to pay US$189.5 million in restitution to the state.

Dharmono was an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle lawmaker who was arrested after a stint as a fugitive for his involvement in a Rp 14 billion corruption case in 2003, while Jefri was found guilty of stealing around Rp 1 trillion in BNI and state funds.

According to Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), the AGO has also failed to implement internal reforms, which have been scheduled in its agenda for the last two years.

ICW said Hendarman had failed to fulfil his promise of commencing reformation measures, such as by tightening the recruitment process for prosecutors and by improving career management, education and training. (hdt)

Popular

Tension grows between North Sumatra, Aceh over disputed border

Planned MRT extension to South Tangerang to cost $1.25b

The greenwashing of destruction: Legal action as Raja Ampat’s last hope