Heru Andriyanto & Irvan Tisnabudi, Jakarta – Rogue tax official Gayus Tambunan on Tuesday again claimed to have received bribes from companies linked with the Bakrie Group, saying he had received more than US$3 million from three companies in exchange for cooking their tax returns.
"For the three jobs I was paid the equivalent of Rp30 billion on the current exchange rate," Gayus told a South Jakarta District Court hearing, where he appeared as a witness in the graft trial of businessman Andi Kosasih.
Gayus said he got $500,000 for the first job, fixing the tax documents of Kaltim Prima Coal, which had been held back at the Tax Office because of an undisclosed dispute. He said he got the job from brothers Alif Kuncoro and Imam Cahyo Maliki, who reportedly worked as tax consultants.
Gayus said he had requested help from his superior, Maruli Pandopotan Manurung, who had received $1.5 million. Gayus then was asked to settle the tax of Bumi Resources, for which he said he received $500,000.
The third job was to grant leniency under the sunset policy program for Arutmin, which paid him $2 million.
He said he initially kept the money in safe deposit boxes. "But later I deposited the money in bank accounts," he said. Responding to the accusations, Dileep Srivastava, head of investor relations at Bumi Resources, said: "I think Gayus needs to come out with new confessions which he can prove with evidence.
"These are old and oft repeated statements. He who accuses needs to prove it, not the other way around. We have proof that Bumi's tax status is clear and is reinforced by a Supreme Court ruling."
Gayus told the court that when he was declared a suspect based on a report by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), lawyer Haposan Hutagalung had convinced him he would be able to escape conviction if he paid off the police, prosecutors and the judges. Hutagalung also had said his money would go to top officials at the Attorney General's Office.
Gayus was acquitted of a minor embezzlement charge in a controversial trial on March 12 after he allegedly paid police, prosecutors and a judge billions of rupiah in bribes.
Two policemen, the Tangerang District Court judge, Gayus's lawyers and several suspected case brokers have been named suspects in the case, but the fate of two implicated prosecutors remain unclear.
"I don't know if this is true, but Haposan told me that all AGO deputies got [the money], including former deputy [Abdul Hakim] Ritonga. It's not true, I think," said Gayus, who claimed to have handed Rp20 billion to Haposan to handle his case.
Gayus has been accused of setting up a bogus land purchase agreement with Andi Kosasih to cover up the money. Andi, who was paid Rp4 billion by Gayus, claimed the money was a loan.
"If he said the fund was meant as a loan, please return it to me because I'm in dire need of cash right now," Gayus said to laughter in the court.
Gayus was acquitted of all charges in March after prosecutors set aside the money laundering charge and brought only a minor embezzlement charge involving an account at Bank Central Asia worth Rp370 million.
"As far as I'm concerned, the money in the BCA account was only Rp17 million. I have no idea how prosecutors and police could mention Rp370 million." he said.