KPK set to question Gayus

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 02/04/2011 10:15 AM | National

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans on Friday to question tax graft convict Gayus H Tambunan on the alleged judicial and tax corruption ring.

The questioning is scheduled to commence at 10 a.m., the same time the previous questioning began on Wednesday, tempointeraktif.com reported Friday.

Last Wednesday, the KPK questioned Gayus on his role at the taxation directorate. He was questioned on several matters including the tax system and his duties as a tax officer.

Gayus, who was convicted to seven years in prison for corruption and misconduct, has also been questioned by the National Police at the Cipinang Penitentiary, where he is currently imprisoned.

AGO denies that Gayus demand was weak

Mariel Grazella, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 01/22/2011 8:39 AM | National

The Attorney General's Office denies that the conviction it demanded judges hand down to tax graft convict Gayus H. Tambunan was weak.

"I don't understand why some say that the conviction demand was poor," Attorney General Basrief Arief said.

He added that all four articles that the prosecutors had accused Gayus of violating were proven in court.

"Gayus was proven guilty by the judges on all four accounts," he said.

He added that he appreciated the judges' decision but would push forward for an appeal.

Although judges found Gayus guilty on four accounts by prosecutors, judges convicted Gayus to seven out of the 20 years' imprisonment demanded by prosecutors.

Gayus court statement to corner Judicial Task Force: Prosecutor

Mariel Grazella, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 01/22/2011 8:46 AM | Headlines

Vice-Attorney General Darmono says that statements made by tax graft convict Gayus H. Tambunan were aimed to corner the Judicial Mafia Taskforce.

"I observe that there have been efforts in that direction," he said on Friday.

He added that the AGO had clarified to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono allegations made by Gayus.

Gayus claimed that law enforcers were reluctant to legally process prosecutor Cirus Sinaga out of fear that Cirus would reveal "the truth" behind the case of convicted former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Antasari Azhar.

"We have said that what Gayus delivered in court is all untrue," he added. "We have delivered the facts and evidence [related to the allegations]."

VP holds impromptu meeting on Gayus case.

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 01/19/2011 9:39 PM | National

Vice President Boediono held a coordination meeting to discuss Gayus H. Tambunan, just a few hours after the former low-level tax official was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for graft.
The meeting at the Vice Presidential Office in Jakarta was attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo and Attorney General Basrief Arief, as reported by tempointeraktif.com online news portal.

“The Vice President has become the national coordinator, as per the President’s instructions. Of course, he will often meet with law enforcement chiefs….I think this is just a preliminary meeting,” Boediono’s spokesman, Yopie Hidayat, said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued 12 orders for handling the Gayus case earlier this week, one of which named Boediono point person for implementing Yudhoyono’s orders.

Other orders require performance evaluations and audited financial reports for all institutions connected to Gayus’ case and sanctioning officers found guilty wrongdoing in the case’s many investigations.

Taskforce played a role in determining Gayus' "light" sentence: Legislator

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 01/19/2011 9:20 PM | National

A legislator from the Golkar Party says that the Judicial Mafia Taskforce may have played a role in determining former tax officer Gayus H. Tambunan’s sentence, which he deems as being too light.

“Gayus’ confessions after the trial that explained how the taskforce promised he would undergo legal processes ‘safely and comfortably’ obviously shows the taskforce engages in ‘special treatment’,” Bambang Soesatyo said in a text message. “Therefore, it is not impossible that the taskforce had a hand in the light verdict,”

He said that if the taskforce was proven to have conducted such legal interventions, then it should be disbanded.

The legislator from Commission III overseeing legal affairs said that the seven-year sentence handed to Gayus for committing graft was, “Very disappointing…how can someone guilty of tax mafia only be sentenced to seven years in jail while the prosecutors demanded 20 years.”

Gayus mentioned in a press conference held after his trial that the Judicial Mafia Taskforce's  head, Denny Indrayana, lured him to return to Indonesia when the two met in Singapore in March last year, by assuring Gayus that he would be “safe and comfortable” during the legal process.

Gayus verdict in S. Jakarta District Court today today

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 01/19/2011 9:35 AM |

South Jakarta District Court is scheduled on Wednesday to deliver its verdict for graft defendant Gayus Tambunan, charged with tax-related corruption.

State prosecutors had earlier asked the court to sentence the defendant to 20 years’ imprisonment and pay fines of Rp 500 million (US$55,000).

Gayus’ case has attracted public attention as it has also implicated many high-ranking tax officials, law enforcers and large companies.

Gayus’ wife to be questioned again Monday

Dina Indrasafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/17/2011 10:58 AM | National

Milana Anggraeni, the wife of notorious graft defendant Gayus Tambunan, is scheduled to undergo questioning by police in Jakarta on Monday.

"Yes, [Milana will be questioned] at around 10-11 a.m. I will accompany her with my team," Milana's lawyer, Hotma Sitompul, told The Jakarta Post by telephone.

Previously, Milana was questioned as a witness regarding her husband's overseas trips last year, journeys he undertook when he was supposed to be locked up in a police detention center.

During previous questioning sessions, Milana testified that she had gone with Gayus on several of the excursions, including to Macau and Singapore.

Gayus’ bribery and graft trial is currently in process. Prosecutors have demanded he serve 20 years in prison.

House to summon Gayus, attorney: Legislator

Dicky Christanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/13/2011 10:03 PM | National

A House working committee looking to discover Gayus Tambunan’s protectors will summon the graft suspect and lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution, Democratic Party legislator Pieter Zulkifli says.

Pieter said the commission was also prepared to summon Judicial Mafia Taskforce members for further clarification on the case.

“We would like to hear first hand from these people about what really happened during the investigation,” Pieter said on Thursday.

He added that he would verify details of Gayus’ case with Adnanto. 

“I don’t care if there are people from political parties, even from my own party, the Democratic Party, who might be implicated in the documents. These people deserve only prison” he said.

The committee was formed after legislators said law enforcement officers have lost the integrity needed to handle the graft case, which has allegedly implicated important and powerful persons.

Police, KPK jointly probe Gayus case

Dina Indrasafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/13/2011 9:50 PM | National

The National Police is to work together with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate the graft case of former tax official Gayus Tambunan, spokesperson Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said Thursday.

"For [the] Gayus [case], a joint investigation has been formed between the National Police and the KPK," he said in a text message to The Jakarta Post.

Earlier this week, the police revealed that they had sent a letter to the Finance MInistry requesting the ministry grant them the permission to examine tax documents of the companies that Gayus had mentioned in court as ones contributing to the unusually large sum of money in his accounts.

Gayus, a low-ranking tax officer, is believed to have around Rp 90 billion in the form of cash and gold. Gayus is suspected of gaining his wealth through illegal means by abusing his position at the tax office.

The KPK has said that it had also requested permission to probe the companies that allegedly paid Gayus.

Plot thickens in Gayus passport investigation

Dina Indrasafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/13/2011 3:14 PM | National

The testimonies of several witnesses questioned as to how much high-profile graft suspect Gayus Tambunan spent on his falsified passport do not match, the National Police says.

“[Gayus] said it cost only Rp 200 million," National Police deputy spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said Thursday.

Previously, A, another suspect in the case, said Gayus spent almost US$100,000 for the passport.

Boy said the difference in information given was “normal” in an investigation.

“It’s up to the investigators to find out which one was the most likely.”

Gayus, a former low-ranking tax official, is facing various charges including bribery and providing false information. He is also suspected of having amassed billions of rupiah from companies through tax brokering.

Gayus has admitted having left his cell (where he was being held for the duration of his trial) 68 times since July last year. His excursions included trips overseas, allegedly carrying a falsified passport under the name Sony Laksono.

On Wednesday, police questioned Gayus, his wife and two other people in relation to the excursions.

Gayus had initiated the creation of the falsified passport in July last year, Boy said.

AGO, Police brush off Gayus plea

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/10/2011 9:15 PM | National

The Attorney General's Office and the National Police have played down graft defendant Gayus H. Tambunan's offer to help settle high-profile corruption cases, as read out by Gayus from his defense statement at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday.

Attorney General chief Basrief Arief said it was impossible for Gayus to become a special staff at the office.

“[He] can't be an expert staff. That position is in the office's organizational structure,” Basrief said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com after attending a meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center on Monday.

Basrief said his office would use Gayus' statements and testimonies for their investigations into tax crime.

National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo had even less patience for Gayus' offer, “That isn't an issue. His statements keep changing all the time.”

“If he [Gayus] just wants to share information, we are most welcome,” Timur said.

He said that although Gayus had already given much information to police investigators, the police would not rely solely on Gayus' statements, but instead cooperate with other institutions, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, to unravel high-profile graft cases.

During his trial hearing on Monday, Gayus H. Tambunan said he was ready to help law enforcers unravel major corruption cases in the country should he be given the opportunity to become an expert staff member with the police, Attorney General’s Office or Corruption Eradication Commission.

Gayus said he would only need two years to create a “clean Indonesia”.

“Make me an expert staff member with the police or AGO, then [I will create a] clean Indonesia in two years,” he said.

Gayus promised that if his wish were granted, he would help catch major corruption figures, lamenting that most law enforcement agencies only managed to solve small cases and net small fry.

"I will solve big cases, involving those involving 'whales' or 'sharks',” Gayus said.

Gayus to read defense in Monday hearing

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/03/2011 8:53 AM | National

Graft suspect Gayus Halomoan Tambunan is scheduled to read his defense statement on Monday after prosecutors recently asked the court to sentence him to 20 years in prison.

In response to the prosecution, Gayus said the indictment was not based on facts, tribunnews.com reported.

He also said the reason the sentence demand was high was because he hadn’t “taken care of the case,” meaning he hadn’t arranged a bribe for the prosecutors.

Gayus added that when his former lawyer Haposan Hutagalung “took care” of his previous case, prosecutors only demanded a short sentence.

In Indonesia’s corrupt judicial system, suspects often bribe prosecutors, police and judges to reduce their sentences.

Gayus, Bank Century, most popular issues in 2010

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 12/27/2010 2:22 PM | National

A recent report released by Charta Politika Indonesian political research institute says the Bank Century bailout and case of graft suspect Gayus H. Tambunan were the most popular issues in Indonesia in 2010.

“[These] were the most popular issues because of their relation to law and politics, involving a lot of players,” Charta Politika research director Yunarto Wijaya said Monday as reported by kompas.com.

Research for the report was conducted by analyzing the contents of six national newspapers, Kompas, Indopos, Seputar Indonesia, Rakyat Merdeka, Republika and Media Indonesia, from Jan. 2 to Dec. 20.

Of a total of 14,963 articles, the Bank Century case dominated 13 percent of the articles, followed by the Gayus H. Tambunan case which occupied 10 percent.

Issues related to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second Cabinet were found in 5 percent of articles, while those related to the national congress of his party shared the fourth place with stories on terrorism at 3 percent.

Gayus expects judge to remain ‘objective’

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/23/2010 8:37 AM | National

Graft suspect Gayus Halomoan Tambunan is hopeful South Jakarta District Court presiding judge Albertina Ho will be fair in issuing her verdict after prosecutors demanded he serve 20 years’ imprisonment in relation to his lengthy and politically charged tax fraud case.

“Regardless of the indictment, I am sure Mrs. Albertina Ho will remain objective and issue a verdict based on facts,” Gayus said Wednesday.

Previously, Albertina had acquitted Andy Wahab from charges after prosecutors demanded he serve 17 years in prison, he said.

“I hope the same will happen for me.”

Gayus said there were numerous errors in the indictment, including allegations he had met his former lawyer Haposan Hutagalung at the Sultan Hotel in Jakarta. According to Gayus, the meeting was held at the Park Lane Apartments (also in Jakarta) in June.