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Tax officers arrested after allegedly securing massive tax refunds for car dealer
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it has arrested four tax officials from the Taxation Directorate General (DJP) for allegedly forging the tax records of a luxury car dealer, which had secured the company more than Rp 7 billion (US$490,836) in tax refunds instead of paying its taxes
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span>The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it has arrested four tax officials from the Taxation Directorate General (DJP) for allegedly forging the tax records of a luxury car dealer, which had secured the company more than Rp 7 billion (US$490,836) in tax refunds instead of paying its taxes.
In return for assisting the car dealer obtain tax refunds, the officials allegedly received a whopping Rp 1.8 billion, all paid in cash in US dollars.
The owner of PT Wahana Auto Ekamarga (WAE) car showroom, Darwin Maspolim, was also arrested and named a suspect in the case.
PT WAE is a luxury car dealer, which sells, services and provides spare parts for branded cars such as Bentley, Jaguar and Land Rover.
“The four tax officers — Hadi Sutrisno, Yul Dirga, Jumari and M. Naim Fahmi — received $73,700 in 2015 and $57,500 in 2016 in exchange for tax refunds equaling Rp 5.03 billion in 2015 and Rp 2.7 billion in 2016,” said KPK deputy chief Saut Situmorang at the KPK building, South Jakarta, on Thursday.
In both years, the four went as a team and conducted field inspections on PT WAE. Furthermore, after the completion of both inspections, team supervisor Hadi informed the company that they were not entitled to tax refunds and actually owed money to the DJP.
Subsequently, Hadi allegedly offered the company to forge its field inspection report in order for PT WAE to be entitled to the refunds. The supervisor allegedly demanded a Rp 1 billion bribe for each year and the company agreed to pay almost all of the amount requested. The total bribes on both occasions were equally distributed between the four officials.
Finance Ministry general inspector Sumiyati did not hold back in expressing disappointment on the case.
“The Finance Ministry family are angered by this crime and have zero tolerance for any of our staff who hurt the integrity and reputation of the ministry by committing graft. Minister Sri Mulyani also expressed that this incident was an act of betrayal that brings utter embarrassment to the perpetrators and the ministry,” said Sumiyati.
During her tenure as finance minister from 2004 to 2009, Sri hiked the salaries of officers at the DJP, which resulted in them being the highest paid civil servants in the country.
Sumiyati also mentioned that the officials would be disciplined accordingly.
“Suspects Jumari and M. Naim have been relieved of their duties, while the discharge of Hadi Sutrisno and Yul Dirga is being processed.”
As the alleged briber, Darwin faces charges under Article 5 of Law No. 31/1999 on corruption eradication. Meanwhile, as recipients, the four officials face charges under Article 12 of the same law.
This case is not the first occasion the DJP has been in the spotlight for having its employees commit graft during the tax refund audit process.
In 2010, then-DJP civil servant Gayus Tambunan was sentenced to 28 years in prison for receiving bribes worth Rp 109 billion from multiple companies to forge tax records.
Meanwhile, water proofing and adhesive company PT Cherng Tay Indonesia and DJP officials were also indicted for the offer and acceptance of bribes in 2016.
According to the 2017 Global Corruption Barometer survey published by Transparency International Indonesia, the DJP was ranked the fourth most corrupt government body in the country. (bry)
