KPK Hands Graft Case against Basarnas Officials to Military
Jakarta, Indonesianpost.com – The Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, confirmed on Saturday that it has handed over the graft case against two high-ranking military officers assigned at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) to the Indonesian Military (TNI).
Read also: KPK Admits Procedural Error in Arresting Basarnas Head
Basarnas Head Vice Air Marshal Henri Alfiandi and his subordinate Lieu. Col. Afri Budi Cahyanto was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly taking billions of rupiah in bribes from businessmen who won projects to supply life detector devices, safety diving equipment, and other search and rescue (SAR) equipment for the agency.
KPK Deputy Chairman Alexander Marwata said the commission didn’t issue dossiers of criminal investigation for the two officers, but the TNI will do so based on a formal KPK report on the suspected crime.
Alexander said officers from the Military Police were involved in the preliminary investigation, and none of them raised objections to the naming of Henri, Afri, and three other individuals as corruption suspects.
“During the case hearing attended by KPK investigators, prosecutors, [KPK] leaders, and investigators from the Military Police, nobody raised an objection when we named five suspects,” Alexander said.
Meanwhile, three businessmen who were arrested for allegedly bribing Henri and Afri will be prosecuted by the KPK. Their identities have been revealed as Mulsunadi Gunawan, chief commissioner of Multi Grafika Cipta Sejati; Marilya, CEO of Intertekno Grafika Sejati; and Roni Aidil, CEO of Kindah Abadi Utama.
Read also: Basarnas Head Accused of Accepting Rp 88B Bribe Money
The arrest drew controversy after officers from the Military Police visited the KPK to get clarifications on Friday, followed moments later by another KPK deputy chairman, Johanis Tanak, offering an apology to the Indonesian Military.
A group of KPK employees has made an open letter demanding their boss retract the statement.
Chief Legal Affairs Minister Mohammad Mahfud MD said separately the case against the two military officers will be tried by a court martial.
He said the protracted debate about bringing the two officers to a civilian court or military tribunal will only undermine the focus of the investigation, namely to bring them to justice.
Military Police Commander Vice Air Marshal Agung Handoko said his office is taking over the investigation against Henri and Afri from the KPK and promised full support for the country’s crackdown on corruption.
“Investigators and law enforcement officers within the TNI will follow up the investigation transparently,” he said.