Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) ignored several findings from its investigation in its decision to drop the probe into the embezzlement of Rp 81.1 trillion (US$8.8 billion) in central bank funds, a court here heard Tuesday.
Hendra Dewanto, a former member of the AGO team investigating the embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) funds, testified in the Corruption Court that the decision overlooked an unpaid debt.
The investigation was launched after the AGO had discovered a huge drop in the value of assets submitted to the state by major debtors when the government sold them to other parties. The assets were surrendered by tycoons Sudono Salim and Sjamsul Nursalim to pay their debts.
"The team found that Sjamsul owed Rp 4.8 trillion to the government and that the Finance Ministry had solid grounds to collect the debt," said Hendra, adding the team's final report was submitted on Feb. 25, 2008. Four days later, the AGO announced it had dropped the investigation due to lack of evidence.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has arrested the team leader, state prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan, for accepting bribes from businesswoman Artalyta Suryani in return for helping Sjamsul's case. Artalyta is believed to have close ties with Sjamsul's family. Her trial is currently underway in the Corruption Court.
Hendra said the team's final investigation report had been submitted to then AGO director of special criminal investigations Muhammad Salim and a copy of it had been sent to then deputy attorney general for special crimes Kemas Yahya Rahman.
The KPK said Urip's intensive communications with Artalyta since December 2007 revealed he had helped her to hold separate meetings with Salim and Kemas at the AGO special crimes unit.
In a tapped telephone conversation on Feb. 27, 2008, which was presented as evidence in Artalyta's trial, Urip told her that he had managed to help Sjamsul's case. She replied she would give him money as agreed earlier.
On March 2, 2008, Urip was arrested outside Artalyta's house after allegedly accepting from her US$660,000 and Rp 100 million in bribes. Urip claims he borrowed the money from Artalyta to start an auto repair business.
The KPK has also accused Urip of extorting Rp 1 billion from former chief of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency, Glenn Yusuf, who was implicated in the BLBI case. Urip threatened to name him as a suspect in the BLBI embezzlement.
Hendra also testified that Glenn's lawyer, Reno Iskandarsyah, had come to the investigation team's room at the AGO building in January 2008. "He came to give an envelope that he claimed had been sent by Glenn for the investigator. We refused the envelope. I don't know what was inside it," he said.
In their indictment, KPK said Urip had accepted a total of Rp 110 million and $90,000 in cash from Glenn. Presiding judge Teguh Heriyanto adjourned the trial until next Thursday week to hear further testimony from Artalyta and her son. (dre)