Not Only Being A Suspect In Bribery, The Former Head Of The Bantaeng South Sulawesi Tax Was Charged With Money Laundering

JAKARTA - Former Head of Tax Bantaeng, South Sulawesi (Sulsel) Wawan Ridwan has been named a suspect in money laundering (TPPU). This decision was made after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) found sufficient evidence to ensnare him.

"The investigative team is currently developing its investigation process into other alleged criminal acts, namely money laundering," Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement Ali Fikri told reporters, Thursday, December 30.

Ali said the determination of the status of a money laundering suspect was carried out because the KPK discovered that Wawan had received bribes. This bribery was carried out when he was a tax examiner at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance in 2016-2017.

From the bribe, continued Ali, Wawan then changed the bribe received into a number of assets.

"It is suspected that the WR suspect, among others, placed or changed the form of corruption money he received in the form of several assets," he said.

Furthermore, the assets suspected of being the proceeds of money laundering have also been confiscated by investigators.

As previously reported, the KPK has examined a number of witnesses to investigate Wawan's laundering efforts. One of them, when examining the evidence of The Time Place Tunjungan Plaza Manager, Efendy Mulyo Winata; AMPM Watch Pakuwon Trade Centre, Roby Suhartono; and a private party named Ridwan Bin Saik.

Not only that, the KPK also examined representatives of PT Kedaung Satrya Motor; Director of PT Sentratek Metalindo named Cecep; and Widyawati who is a private party. This inspection was carried out on Tuesday, December 21 last.

At that time, investigators were investigating allegations of establishing a business using bribes from taxpayers.

For information, the KPK arrested and detained the former Bantaeng Tax Head, Wawan Ridwan, who is a new suspect in the tax bribery case at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance. This action was taken because he was considered uncooperative.

In this case, it was revealed that Wawan received the money which was then handed over to two officials at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance, namely Angin Prayitno and Dadan Ramdani, who had previously been named suspects.

The receipt of this money occurred several times in the period 2018-2019. In January-February 2018, Wawan received Rp15 billion which was handed over by representatives of PT Gunung Madu Plantation.

Then, Wawan again received the money around mid-2018. The amount of money he received reached 500 thousand Singapore dollars which was handed over by representatives of PT Bank PAN Indonesia from a total commitment of Rp. 25 billion.

Next, he again received money in July-September 2019 with a value of up to 3 million Singapore dollars which was handed over from representatives of PT Jhonlin Baratama. Of the total receipts, Wawan was later said to have received a share of 625 thousand Singapore dollars.

Not only that, Wawan is also suspected of receiving money from other taxpayers as a form of gratuity. However, the KPK has not detailed the amount of money because it is still being investigated.