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Taskforce set to unveil corruption in tax offices
The Anti-Judicial Corruption Taskforce promised Monday it would unravel corruption in tax offices in the near future
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The Anti-Judicial Corruption Taskforce promised Monday it would unravel corruption in tax offices in the near future.
The announcement came after the presidential taskforce made two visits to the National Police and Attorney General’s Office (AGO).
Taskforce secretary Denny Indrayana, and presidential staff expert on legal affairs, said he had preliminary evidence the “graft syndicate” involved the police, AGO, judiciary and tax offices.
“Pray for us that we will be able to disclose how the syndicate works,” he was quoted as saying by Antara.
“And at the right time we will make [names] public.”
The taskforce collected evidence of corrupt practices from the Financial Transactions Report and Analysis Center (PPATK) and tax official Gayus HP Tambunan before he fled, suspected of amassing dubious funds totaling Rp 25 billion (US$2.7 million). Other sources of data include the police and the statements of Andi Kosasih, a businessman allegedly involved in the case, he added.
The report of the suspicious Rp 25 billion bank account held by Gayus prompted the taskforce to investigate.
Gayus reportedly fled to Singapore for “medical treatment” after three questioning sessions with the taskforce last week.
National Police deputy chief detective Insp. Gen. Dikdik Mulyana said the police were after the wife of Gayus, Milana Anggraeni, for allegedly receiving some of the funds from her husband.
The PPATK reported that Gayus held suspicious bank accounts to the police last March.
The Tangerang district court acquitted Gayus of embezzlement and money laundering charges on March 12 claiming lack of evidence.
District chief M. Asnun denied allegations Monday that he had sold the verdict for Rp 500 million.
“It’s not true. It’s a collective decision,” he said.
The case resurfaced only recently, when former police chief detective Susno Duadji reported the suspicious funds to the taskforce.
Then the police formed an independent team to investigate the case.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistyo Ishak said the team consisted of officers who had never handled the case in the previous investigation.
Critics have cast doubt over the team, saying it would never work if the case was again handed over to the police. They insist that it will be better handled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
But Denny expressed his confidence in the team.
He said over the weekend that the Gayus case should provide momentum to begin fundamental reforms within law enforcement institutions and the tax offices, including public scrutiny of officers’ lifestyle and the tightening of internal supervision systems.
“We need to push for mandatory reporting of law enforcement and tax officers’ wealth, and for the need to introduce reversal of the burden of proof for state officials to prove that their wealth was not illegally acquired,” Denny said as quoted by Kompas daily.
