Money Laundering Proceeds, Land And House Assets Belonging To The Former Bantaeng Tax Chief Confiscated By KPK

Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement Sector Ali Fikri (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) confiscated assets belonging to the former Head of Tax Bantaeng, South Sulawesi (Sulsel), Wawan Ridwan. The confiscation was carried out after he was determined as a suspect in the crime of money laundering (TPPU).

Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement, Ali Fikri, said Ridwan was indicated to change the form of money suspected of being bribed into assets. This is known from the evidence found by investigators.

The alleged receipt of bribes was carried out when Wawan was a tax inspector at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance in 2016-2017.

"It is suspected that WR suspects, among others, placing or changing the form of corruption money he received in the form of several assets," Ali told reporters, Friday, December 31.

Furthermore, Ali said, the assets allegedly belonging to Wawan were confiscated to be used as evidence.

"(The confiscated assets, ed) include land and buildings," he said.

Before ensnaring Wawan for money laundering, the KPK also named himself a new suspect in the tax bribery case at the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance.

In this case, it was revealed that Wawan received 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 as suspects. 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.