‘New Gayus’ may implicate other officials

JAKARTA. Experts are calling for a full investigation of corruption suspect Dhana Widyatmika on corruption, alleging that the tax official’s bank accounts might have been used by his superiors to launder funds illicitly collected from taxpayers.

According to preliminary reports from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), Dhana had Rp 28 billion (US$3.11 million) and $250,000 in accounts at 18 banks.

However, the PPATK said that a total of Rp 60 billion might have passed through the accounts in “suspicious transactions”, which may indicate that Dhana was part of a syndicate involving several high-ranking tax officers, according to Zainal Arifin Mochtar, who heads Gadjah Mada University’s Center for Anticorruption Studies.

“A low-level civil servant like Dhana does not have much power or authority. In power-abuse corruption, which dominates the types of corruption at state offices, those that have power and authority play significant roles. It is very likely that Dhana’s accounts were abused to accommodate funds illicitly collected by his superiors,” Zainal said.

He urged the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to probe other people implicated in Dhana’s alleged corrupt activity without exception.

Investigators from the AGO’s special crimes division declared Dhana a corruption suspect last week.

The announcement brought to mind another tax officer, the infamous scofflaw and graft convict Gayus H Tambunan, who was implicated in a staggering number of corruption allegations.

Gayus, for example, made headlines in 2010 after he initially avoided prosecution after he bribed detectives.

Meanwhile, the AGO defended its decision not to detain Dhana immediately after he was named a suspect.

Arnold Angkauw, the special crimes division’s investigations director, said that banning Dhana’s overseas travel would be sufficient to guarantee a smooth investigation.

The Law and Human Rights Ministry’s immigration directorate has banned Dhana’s overseas travel until Aug. 21.

AGO spokesman Noor Rachmad declined to confirm if the case implicated Dhana’s current or former superiors. “Our investigation is still ongoing. No one will escape charges as long as his role is supported by sufficient evidence,” he said.

Noor added that the AGO began its investigation after learning that Dhana had allegedly accumulated billions of rupiah, despite his relative youth and low rank. “We are still working on how he collected the money. We cannot elaborate further because it might hamper the investigation,” Noor said.

Separately, Transparency International Indonesia secretary-general Teten Masduki said that “illicit collaboration” between low and high-ranking civil servants was common practice. “Low-ranking officials serve as operators while their bosses are the masterminds,” he said.

PPATK deputy chairman Agus Santoso previously said that corrupt bosses, fearing increased scrutiny from law enforcers, might deposit illicit money into their subordinates’ accounts.

Yogyakarta-based anti-graft activist Oce Madril said high-ranking officials sometimes temporarily distributed money in such a way due to regular wealth-reporting requirements.

“When they think the situation is safe, or at least when they are retired, they gradually collected the money, with, of course, some compensation for those whose accounts were temporarily used,” Oce said.

Where has the money gone?

PPATK finding
Dhana has accounts at 18 banks holding US$3.36 million

Wealth report to the KPK
Land and building in Depok, West Java, worth Rp 108.34 million, land and building in East Jakarta (Rp 576.38 million), precious metals (Rp 57.33 million), securities (Rp 312.13 million), a 1994 sedan (Rp 15 million), a 2008 minibus (Rp 150 million). Total: Rp 1.22 billion ($135,420)

Seized by the AGO
Rp 8 billion and Rp 20 billion in cash, $270,000 in cash, one kilogram of gold, securities, safe deposit boxes, bank accounts amounting Rp 28 billion and $250,000. Total: more than $3.63 million