Farouk Arnaz – The National Police's chief detective said on Monday that there were no plans to probe firms linked to alleged bribes paid to Gayus Tambunan despite questions lingering on how the former taxman amassed his fortune.
Even though it has been more than a year since investigations began, Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi said the police had not yet determined how the graft convict came to have more than Rp 100 billion ($11.7 million) in his personal accounts.
"We haven't been able to unravel where it all came from," he said. "There is insufficient evidence against the people and companies linked to this case. "Before naming suspects, we must have concrete evidence. We cannot name suspects just because of his testimony."
During the Gayus investigation, the former middle-ranking tax official told police that most of his wealth came from providing services to as many as 44 companies, including miners Kaltim Prima Coal, Arutmin and Bumi Resources, which are linked to the family of Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
Gayus was arrested in February 2010 after police found Rp 28 billion in his bank accounts. The equivalent of Rp 74 billion in foreign currency and gold ingots were also found in one of his bank safe-deposit boxes.
However, after he was convicted for graft in January, Gayus recanted his testimony and alleged he had been pressured into making the claims against the Bakrie Group companies by Denny Indrayana, a presidential adviser and member of the Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force.
Gayus was sentenced to seven years in jail after being found him guilty of bribing police officers and a judge to help him secure an acquittal in an embezzlement trial in 2010. Three years were added to his sentence on appeal.
Following the conviction, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered an extensive probe into the affair, including into Gayus's suspect wealth.
Police have been working with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), State Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP), Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Judicial Mafia Eradication Task Force and Attorney General's Office on the Gayus case.
Gayus still faces charges in two other trials, one for allegedly bribing his way out of a police detention facility in Depok during his trial and another for allegedly using a falsified passport to exit the country.
It is believed Gayus left the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) detention center on at least 68 separate occasions, including for trips to Macau and Singapore last year on the forged passport.