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PPATK finds graft suspect Papua governor spent Rp 560 billion at foreign casinos
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tate-run Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has found suspicious transactions worth hundreds of billions of rupiah after examining financial records of Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, who was recently named a corruption suspect, but continues to evade police questioning.
The suspicious transactions include a series of payments totaling S$55 million (US$39 million) to overseas casinos since 2017.
"The PPATK has received information about his gambling activities in two different countries. [...] We found that the suspect has made cash deposits amounting to S$55 million or equivalent to Rp 560 billion to casinos," PPATK head Ivan Yustiavandana told a press conference on Monday.
"At one point, the suspect made a fantastic cash deposit worth S$5 million to a casino and bought a watch worth S$55,000," he added.
According to Ivan, the PPATK has frozen transactions worth more than Rp 71 billion in 11 financial-service institutions such as banks and insurance companies in relation to Lukas’ case. Most of the transactions were carried out through one of Lukas' children's bank accounts.
Lukas, a Democratic party politician who has been Papua Governor since 2013, has been embroiled in a lengthy list of graft allegations, including a 2017 case related to the misuse of scholarship funds for the 2016 fiscal year.
Also in 2017, Lukas was named a graft suspect relating to a regional election in Papua. Lukas allegedly swayed the public to choose his preferred pair of regent and deputy regent candidates for the Tolikara regency general elections.
Last week, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Lukas a graft suspect for allegedly receiving a gratuity worth Rp 1 billion from a private party, during the licensing process of his administration’s procurement of goods and services using the regional budget (APBD).
He has been named as a suspect along with Mamberamo regent Ricky Ham Pagawak in Papua, who has been in office since 2013, along with three other suspects from a private company, identified only as SSM, as the alleged bribe giver.
Evading questioning
The KPK summoned Lukas for questioning last week at the Papua Police headquarters in Jayapura, but Lukas failed to show up, citing health problems.
KPK deputy chairman Alexander Marwata said that the governor has requested permission to seek medical treatment abroad, but the request has been denied. The Law and Human Rights Ministry has also issued a six-month overseas-travel ban for Lukas, effective until March of next year.
According to local-media reports, thousands of Lukas' supporters took to the streets on Tuesday to protest against the ongoing investigation and demand its termination. The protesters also accused the KPK of criminalizing the governor for political reasons.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said in a press conference on Monday that Lukas' alleged graft case has no political motive.
"The allegation against Lukas Enembe has nothing to do with a certain political party or political figure, it was purely made based on legal findings and facts," he said.
Alexander has urged Lukas to be cooperative with the law enforcement during the investigation into the alleged graft case.
"KPK will issue another summons to Lukas, so we urge him and his legal team to attend the questioning. If you can prove that the source funds of all of the suspicious transactions [are legal], we'll stop the probe right away," he said on Monday.
Alexander also promised that the graft-busting agency will conduct the investigation professionally, will uphold the innocent-until-proven-guilty principle and will provide medical assistance for Lukas should he need it.
