Attorney General's Office For Rampas Villa Benny Tjokro Worth IDR 32.8 Billion In New Zealand

The Attorney General's Office's Central Asset Recovery Team confiscated villa assets worth IDR 32.8 billion belonging to the Jiwasraya corruption convict Benny Tjockrosaputro alias Bentjok in New Zealand, Friday (26/1/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Puspenkum Attorney General's Office)

JAKARTA - The Attorney General's Office for Asset Recovery Center carried out the confiscation of assets belonging to the convict Jiwasraya corruption case Benny Tjokrosaputro alias Bentjok in the form of a villa worth IDR 32.8 billion located at Kerry Drive 1/3 Queenstown City, New Zealand.

Head of the Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum) of the Attorney General's Office, Ketut Sumedana, said that the vial assets were purchased in 2017 by Caroline Willieanna, a colleague of the Bentjok convict.

"Crypta Wilieanna is the party used as a cover to hide her illegal activities, including money laundering, property purchases and foreign currencies," said Ketut as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, January 26.

This asset trade, said Ketut, was a follow-up to the Asset Recovery Center from the results of the investigation by the Jampidsus Team in the Jiwasraya case. The team found the facts that there were assets resulting from criminal acts located abroad, one of which was New Zealand.

In the process, said Ketut, the New Zealand Invercargill High Court has granted a confiscation order or Forfeiture order on a non-conviction based forfeiture asset submitted by the Asset Recovery Unit of the New Zealand Police through the Crown Solicitor (apparently a state lawyer) based on a request from the Attorney General's Asset Recovery Center.

Ketut said that this asset confiscation activity was the result of informal cooperation in the National Asset Recovery Network Asia Pacific or Asset Recovery Interagenty Network-Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP) which has 14 countries, including Indonesia and New Zealand.

"Therefore, Indonesia's request regarding efforts to confiscate assets of Bentjok convicts has been responded to and followed up by the New Zealand authorities," he said.

Selain itu, lanjut Ketut, informasi mengenai keberadaan aset tersebut juga merupakan kolaborasi Pusat Pemulihan Asset Kejaksaan Agung dengan Pusat Pelaporan dan Analysis Transaksi Keuangan (PPATK) dalam melakukan penelusuran aliran dana pembelian properti rumah memilih terpidana Bentjok.

The luxury housing property worth 3.4 million New Zealand Dollars (NZD) is the price when purchases in 2017, which is now expected to experience a significant price increase.

On the other hand, the polemic of the luxury house property is a concern and is included in the news of the New Zealand newspaper and electronic media.

"The set of houses is also waiting for the asset repatriation process through the auction of unit sales in New Zealand," said Ketut.

Head of Asset Recovery Syaifuddin Tagail appreciated the performance and support of the New Zealand Government which allowed the Attorney General's Office Team to legally seize New Zealand.

This activity of confiscation of convicts' assets was carried out by the Director of Extraordinary Efforts, Execution and Examination (UHLBEE) Jehezkiel Devy Sudarso, Head of the Syafudin Tagal Asset Recovery Center, Head of Transnational Asset Recovery, Head of Region I Sub-Directorate of Corruption Crimes and Money Laundering Crimes at the UHLBEE Directorate, Head of Sub-Division of Indonesian Asset Recovery Abroad and Functional Prosecutors at the Legal Bureau and Foreign Relations.

Two days earlier, Wednesday (24/1), the Attorney General's Office's Asset Recovery Center managed to auction off the confiscated execution items in the form of six well-known branded bags belonging to the wife of the convict Bentjok.

Of the six auction objects with a total limit value of IDR 363 million, they have sold for a total selling value of IDR 606,250,000. With an increase from a limit value of IDR 243,250,000.