Pandaya – The police's failure again on Tuesday to present the court with crucial evidence it had previously claimed to possess – in the form of wiretapped conversations between Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Insp. Gen. Ade Rahardja and suspected case broker Ary Muladi – heightened suspense in one of Indonesia's biggest legal mysteries.
The mysterious recording has become a focal point in the trial of businessman Anggodo Widjojo, who faces life behind bars for allegedly attempting to bribe KPK leaders and obstructing justice in his bid to help his fugitive brother, Anggoro, wanted for corruption.
Anggodo must have been anxious to hear the tape played back in court because it would ultimately support his statement that he had bribed KPK leaders – a revelation that would kill public trust in the commission, so far touted as Indonesia's most credible law enforcement agency.
The recording would also form solid evidence to back up a much-doubted claim made by the police and the Attorney General's Office that KPK deputies Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah had attempted to extort money from Anggodo. This claim sparked an open conflict between the police and the KPK last year.
If the recording doesn't exist, the biggest losers will be two big shots who bragged in a house hearing last year they had it: Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.
Above all, their failure to prove themselves will aggravate public distrust in the police and the AGO – both at their lowest ebb after their senior officials were implicated in mammoth corruption cases.
The tale of the tape was first told by Comr. Farman, who led the investigation of Bibit and Chandra on charges of extortion and abuse of power in the case implicating Anggodo.
In a hearing with House members on Nov. 9, 2009, Hendarman said he had "ample evidence" that the KPK leaders had received bribes from Anggodo as proven by bugged conversations between Ary Muladi and Ade Raharja.
"Ary claimed he didn't know Ade, and that he had visited the KPK only once, but we have evidence that shows he visited the KPK six times and made 64 calls to Ade," Hendarman told legislators.
During Anggodo's trial, the tape affair was raised again by Corruption Court prosecutor Suwarji last month. Comr. Farman, who testified under oath, clarified his previous statement and said he was not aware of such a tape.
On their part, both Ary and Ade denied having telephone conversations. The KPK, which bugged conversations between Anggodo and law enforcement officials about a conspiracy to frame KPK leaders, also denied it had the recording.
The police did not provide a formal explanation to the Corruption Court about why it had failed to produce the tape as ordered.
National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi told the media he had received the court request Monday, and needed more time to review whether it was legal and relevant to hand over the recording.
Ito's doubt about the legality of presenting the tape to court only raised more questions, because the court requested the tape as material evidence. In effect he was doubting the authority of the court. It sounded like the police were buying time because in fact they were not sure they had the recording.
Refusing to play the recording in court would only prove the common belief that the police and AGO's attempt to charge Bibit and Chandra was a sham aimed at weakening the KPK.
A lie would also remind the public of the New Order when the police and military could do what they wanted. The mystery tape has put the police's reputation on the line.