Hard, KPK Will Act Decisively To Remove Evidence Of Tax Case PT Jhonlin Kalsel

Acting Kpk Spokesperson for Enforcement (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has issued a stern warning to those trying to obstruct the investigation process. One of them is by eliminating evidence of alleged tax bribes at the Office of PT Jhonlin Baratama.

This was conveyed by KPK after failing to confiscate evidence when searching the office of PT Jhonlin Baratama in Tanah Bumbu Regency and another location in Kotabaru Regency, South Kalimantan. The search related to the investigation of alleged bribery cases related to the examination of taxation in 2016 and 2017 at the Directorate General of Taxation of the Ministry of Finance (Directorate General of Taxation Kemkeu), Friday, April 9. Allegedly against the party that eliminated the evidence.

Plt Jubir KPK, Ali Fikri asserted, it does not hesitate to ensnare parties that obstruct the investigation process with Article 21 of the Tipikor Law on obstruction of justice.

The article stipulates a minimum criminal threat of 3 years and a maximum of 12 years against any person who deliberately prevents, obstructs, or thwarts directly or indirectly the investigation, prosecution, and examination at court hearings against suspects and defendants or witnesses in corruption cases.

"We remind certain parties related to this case about the provisions of Article 21 of the Tipikor Law which has expressly provided legal sanctions for parties suspected of deliberately preventing, obstructing or thwarting the ongoing investigation process," said Plt Jubir KPK, Ali Fikri in his statement, Monday, April 12.

Ali said the evidence was deliberately omitted when the investigating team searched the Office of PT Jhonlin Baratama. The evidence was allegedly taken away in a truck. According to Ali, his party had been informed about the whereabouts of a truck that allegedly stored evidence.

"Based on the information we received, the KPK Investigation Team has obtained information from the public about a truck at a location in Hampang Subdistrict, Kota Baru Kalsel, which is suspected of storing various documents related to the investigation," Ali said.

After receiving the information, the investigating team rushed to the location submitted by the community. However, upon arrival at the site, the truck allegedly carrying the document had moved.

"And right now we're doing a search," Ali said.

The KPK is investigating cases of alleged bribes worth tens of billions of rupiah related to the decrease in the value of taxes in the Directorate General (Directorate General) of Taxation of the Ministry of Finance (Kemkeu).

In the process of handling corruption cases conducted by the KPK, the improvement of the status of the case to the level of investigation is accompanied by the determination of suspects.

KPK until now has not provided official information related to the construction of the case or the party that bears the status of the suspect in the case.

Based on the information gathered, there are two tax officials who have held the status of suspects in this case, namely Angin Prayitno Aji as Director of Examination and Billing of the Directorate General of Taxation and Dadan Ramdani as The Head of The Subdirectory of Cooperation and Inspection Support at the Directorate General of Taxation.

The two state organizers allegedly accepted bribes from several consultants and tax authorities at a number of companies. The information mentioned, Angin and Dadan allegedly received bribes from Ryan Ahmad Ronas, Aulia Imran Maghribi as tax consultants of PT Gunung Madu Plantations, and Veronika Lindawati as the taxpayer representative of PT Bank Pan Indonesia or Bank Panin, and Agus Susetyo as a tax consultant related to the tax examination of PT Jhonlin Baratama.