Attorney General Instructs His Staff To Consistently Apply Money Laundering Charges

Attorney General ST Burhanuddin/ PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin has instructed all work units of the Prosecutor's Office in Indonesia to consistently apply the charges of money laundering (TPPU) in every handling of corruption.

The instruction followed up on President Joko Widodo (Jokowi)'s direction on World Anti-Corruption Day which encouraged the Attorney General's Office to maximize the use of money laundering offenses to ensnare corruptors with strict criminal sanctions and recover state losses.

"Optimize the rescue of state assets in a manner consistent with the application of money laundering offences in every handling of corruption cases," said Burhanuddin at the closing of the 2021 RI Attorney General's Working Meeting virtually from the Attorney General's office, in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Thursday, December 9.

In handling corruption cases at the Attorney General's Office in the Special Crimes Sector (JAMPidsus), several cases of money laundering were applied, such as the PT Asabri mega-corruption case, where money laundering was imposed on three defendants, namely Benny Tjockrosaputro, Heru Hidayat, and Jimmy Sutopo.

Another case that was applied by the TPPU was the corruption case in the purchase of natural gas by the Regional-Owned Enterprises of the South Sumatra Gas Mining and Energy Company (PDPDE) for the 2010-2019 period, which ensnared the former Governor of South Sumatra Alex Noerdin. Apart from Alex, the TPPU has applied three suspects, namely Muddai Mandang, Caca Isa Saleh S, and A Yuniarsyah Hasan.

In addition to optimizing the application of the money laundering offenses indictment, Burhanuddin ordered all work units of the Prosecutor's Office in Indonesia to optimize the corruption prevention system to increase the Corruption Perception Index (GPA).

Efforts can be made to increase the GPA, among others, through anti-corruption education and immediately identify the causes or weaknesses of the net system for preventing corruption in ministries, institutions, local governments, BUMN and BUMD.

In this effort to eradicate corruption, said Burhanuddin, the Prosecutor's Office needs to create innovations and build collaborations.

"Create innovation and build collaboration with other institutions in the context of preventing and taking action against corruption," he said.

Burhanuddin asked his staff to increase the dignity of the Prosecutor's Office by implementing fair law enforcement and using conscience.

In commemoration of World Anti-Corruption Day, the Attorney General launched three guidelines that support the duties and intelligence functions of the Attorney General's Office.

The three guidelines, namely Guideline Number 5 of 2021 concerning the Management of Service Firearms in the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Indonesia.

Then, Guidelines Number 20 of 2021 concerning the Code of Ethics for the Intelligence of the Republic of Indonesia Prosecutor's Office and Guidelines Number 21 of 2021 concerning Law Enforcement Intelligence.

The three guidelines, he said, are expected to strengthen and support the intelligence function in carrying out its duties as state organs.

"Remember that intelligence is not only Adhyaksa's senses, but as mandated in the Prosecutor's Intelligence Act, it is a component of state intelligence, especially in the law enforcement process," said Burhanuddin.