Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – After meeting with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over mounting calls to hand over the long-standing Gayus Tambunan scandal, the National Police have said they are determined to resolve the case internally.
"We will intensify coordination with the KPK in investigating the cases," National Police has Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said in a press statement made after a two-hour meeting with the KPK on Tuesday.
KPK deputy chairman Bibit Samad Rianto said a series of technical meetings had been slated as a follow up. "We will continuously monitor the investigations that are currently being conducted by the police," he said.
Bibit refused to answer when asked whether the KPK intended to take over the case. The Anti-Corruption Law enables the KPK to supervise graft investigations and take over stalled investigations from the police or prosecutors.
When asked why the police had produced no evidence in the Gayus case brokering and tax fraud cases implicating dozens of large companies, Timur said investigations were ongoing.
"We are still examining and looking for more evidence. The police would never abandon any valuable leads if there were any. To this date we are still expecting Gayus to cooperate further with us regarding this case," he said.
Chief Detective Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi, who also attended the meeting, confirmed an investigation was ongoing, but refused to elaborate. "We can't reveal any details right now," he said.
Gayus, a former low-ranking tax officer, has said that he received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from dozens of companies for helping them evade taxes.
The police have said an investigation cannot begin based solely on a testimony. Of all of the companies that Gayus mentioned in his testimony, only one case – involving Sidoarjo-based company PT Surya Alam Tunggal – has been brought to court.
Two other tax officials, Maruli Pandapotan Manurung and Humala Napitupulu, have been names suspects based on Gayus' testimonies.
Gayus' lawyer, Adnan Buyung Nasution, earlier said he was confounded by the police's statement that it would not investigate based on testimony alone. He said his client had fully cooperated with the police in questioning.
"The police never summoned any of the companies' representatives to clarify the case," he said, adding that the police were not fit to handle the investigation.