Four Countries to Help Trace Century’s Money

Tempo Interactive, Thursday, 31 December, 2009 | 17:23 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Switzerland, England, Hong Kong, and Singapore will help Indonesia to get back Bank Century’s money. The four countries are reportedly the place where the money was sent. “They said they were ready to do their best to help because the request from the Indonesian government has met the requirements set by the respective country,” the Justice and Human Rights Ministry’s International director-general, Chairijah, said after a press conference yesterday.

According to Chairijah, these countries admitted that some asset were smuggled out of Indonesia since 2004 and may have originated from Bank Century. If the government can provide strong data and proof, the collaborating countries can freeze the account allegedly containing money from Bank Century.

The Indonesian Police chief in charge of Criminal Investigation Division, Ins. Gen. Ito Sumardi, said on a separate occasion that a legal decision was required to confiscate the assets belonging to Bank Century’s suspects. “The court’s order will be the basis, without which a temporary freezing will apply,” he said. An in absentia trial for the suspects, among whom are Hesham al-Waraq and Ravat Ali Rizvi, can be held to produce a permanent legal decision.