Andreas D. Arditya, Jakarta – A witness testified Monday that former Bank Indonesia deputy governor Aulia Pohan played a bigger role than previously thought in the alleged embezzlement of Rp 100 billion (US$10.9 million) in BI funds in 2003.
Asnar Ashari, a former staff member at the BI communication bureau, testified before the Corruption Court that each disbursement of Rp 31.5 billion to members of the House of Representatives' financial commission was made with Aulia's consent.
"For every disbursement I had to write a request letter to Aulia and Maman Somantri, and also to the chief of the Indonesian Banking Development Foundation (YPPI)," Asnar told the court hearing the case of former BI legal affairs deputy Oey Hoey Tiong and former BI communication bureau deputy Rusli Simanjuntak.
Aulia is the father-in-law of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's eldest son.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) accused the BI board of governors of approving in 2003 the disbursement of money to the House's Commission IX to resolve the BI liquidity support case and the amendment of the BI law, as well as to five former BI officials to obtain legal assistance in corruption cases.
The BI governors decided to use money from YPPI, a BI proxy in charge of educational campaigns, which was supervised by Aulia and Maman.
Asnar said he assisted Rusli in the disbursement of the money, which was given to then Commission IX members Antony Zeidra Abidin and Hamka Yandhu in five installments.
"We always reported the disbursements to Aulia and the board of governors," said Asnar, who is currently an executive analyst at the central bank.
In a previous court hearing, Hamka testified that each of the 52 members of the commission accepted at least Rp 250 million from him and Antony. Deputy commission member Paskah Suzetta, now the national development planning minister, and Malam Sambat Kaban, now the forestry minister, received around Rp 1 billion and Rp 300 million respectively, according to Hamka.
Asnar also testified that Hamka and Antony did not receive the entire Rp 31.5 billion.
"After the first installment, Antony decided to return some of the money back to Rusli, amounting to Rp 3 billion," said Asnar. He added he never knew whether there was any deal between Antony and Rusli about the exchange.
According to Asnar, Rusli later gave the money to him and he submitted the money to the KPK in May.
The KPK has alleged that the remaining Rp 68.5 billion was distributed by Oey Hoey Tiong to cover legal aid for former senior BI officials Paul Sutopo, Hendro Boedianto, Heru Soepraptomo, Iwan Prawiranata and Soedrajad Djiwandono.
On Monday the court also heard testimony from former YPPI chairman Baridjusalam Hadi and former treasurer Ratnawati Priyono, who said that in 2006 three of the former senior BI officials – Paul, Iwan and Soedrajad – returned a total of Rp 13.85 billion to the foundation.
"They signed deed of indebtedness letters for the money. It was initiated by Oey," said Baridjusalam, who also said the money was being kept in an account and was not considered among YPPI's assets.
In the same year, the Supreme Audit Agency found irregularities in the BI financial report and reported them to the KPK, which later started its investigation.