Police: Gayus spent Rp 20b to avoid imprisonment

Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 06/02/2010 8:51 PM

Police said on Wednesday former low-ranking tax officer Gayus Tambunan had disbursed a total of Rp 20 billion (US$2.18 million) to bribe law enforcers and lawyers in order to avoid imprisonment for alleged graft and money laundering.

National Police detective chief Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi confirmed Gayus had testified before detectives he had paid Rp 20 billion in bribes to police officers, state prosecutors and judges. Gayus also allocated Rp 5 billion for his lawyers.

The funds were allegedly taken from Gayus’ bank accounts where he had allegedly collected “bribes” from companies that sought his help to settle their tax problems.

Gayus evaded detention and was eventually acquitted by the Tangerang District Court in March.

Ito said, however, the police had so far failed to trace Gayus’ money trail.

“The investigation is still ongoing. Anybody who took the bribes won’t be able to run away,” Ito said before a hearing with legislators at the House of Representatives.

Investigators have named nine suspects in connection with Gayus case, including low and middle-ranking police officers, a judge, Gayus’ lawyer, a tax officer and a businessman.

The absence of prosecutors in the suspect list has triggered criticism to the police, saying that the police might have given “special treatment” to their “long-time partner”.

Head of the investigation team, former East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Salempang, said a total of 51 witnesses, including four state prosecutors, had been questioned. But none of the prosecutors has been declared suspect.