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KPK questions taxation director general as witness in bribery case
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All ready: Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (left) and Taxation Director General Ken Dwijugeasteadi (right) prepare for a hearing, which will discuss the tax amnesty, among other issues, at the House of Representatives on Sept. 29. (Antara Photo/Puspa Perwitasari)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned Director General of Taxation Ken Dwijugiasteadi in its investigation into an alleged bribery case related to a tax evasion ploy.
The antigraft body questioned Ken for the first time as a witness for suspect Rajamohanan Nair, the country director of Jakarta-based export firm PT EK Prima Ekspor Indonesia who allegedly bribed middle-ranking tax officer Handang Sukarna.
Handang, who has also been named a suspect in the case, is accused of having helped the exporter to evade his company's tax arrears amounting to Rp 78 billion (US$5.85 million).
KPK spokesperson Febri Diansyah said the antigraft body had presented Ken in “numerous meetings” it deemed crucial to look into the alleged involvements of other parties in the case.
The alleged bribery was uncovered following the Finance Ministry’s measures to carry out a thorough reform at the graft-ridden directorate general of taxation.
Febri refused to provide details on whether Handang and Rajamohanan were also presented in the meetings.
“We cannot give detailed information regarding the meetings, including what had been discussed in the meetings and who was present there, because it’s part of the investigation. Hopefully, everything will be clear before the arrest period of the suspect [Rajamohanan] ends [on Jan. 20],” Febri told a press briefing at the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday.
In a raid on Nov. 21, KPK investigators caught Handang allegedly accepting $148,500 worth in bribes from Rajamohanan. The money was believed to be “the commitment fee” for the tax official to help the tax evasion scheme. (ebf)
