AGO Seeks Intellectual Actor In Asabri Corruption Mega-Corruption Investigation

Former President Director of Asabri for the 2016-2020 period Sonny Widjaja (left) leaves the courtroom after undergoing a follow-up trial of the PT Asabri corruption case at the Corruption Court, Jakarta/ Antara

JAKARTA - The Investigation Team of the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) is looking for intellectual actors in the PT Asabri (Persero) mega-corruption scandal by tracing the parties suspected of benefiting from financial management and investment funds in the corrupted TNI-Polri insurance company.

The Director of Investigations at the Deputy Attorney General for Corruption Crimes (Jampidsus) at the Indonesian Attorney General's Office, Supardi, emphasized that he was not afraid to drag anyone with ties to corruption suspects who cost the state finances Rp22.78 trillion.

"Wait for the next investigation progress. Having a relationship with anyone, it is important that there is evidence to support it, we are looking into it," Supardi said as quoted by Antara, Friday, September 10.

Supardi stressed that his party worked professionally and transparently in investigating the Asabri case.

The investigative team, said Supardi, worked diligently to drag all parties as evidenced by the naming of a new suspect, namely Teddy Tjokrosaputro, who is the President Director of PT Rimo International Lestari, partner as well as the younger brother of suspect Benny Tjokrosaputro as a shareholder of RIMO.

Teddy was named a suspect in the alleged crime of corruption as well as money laundering (TPPU) on Thursday, August 26. In the Asabri case, there are a number of actors who are issuers who are suspected of being involved but have not been legally processed.

There are a number of stock issuers whose shares in Asabri have even exceeded the statutory limit of more than 5 percent.

Based on KSEI's information that has been published in various media, it can be seen that a number of issuers with a percentage of share ownership above the provisions, but not yet touched by law, can be divided into two strong groups.

Namely, Heru Hidayat's partner groups, such as share ownership in FIRE (23.6 percent), PCAR (25.14 percent), IIKP (12.32 percent), SMRU (8.11 percent). The partners also sell their shares directly to PT Asabri.

The second group, namely shareholders or issuers that do not belong to Heru or Benny Tjokro such as SDMU (18 percent), HRTA (6.6 percent), MINA (5.3 percent), TARA (5.03 percent).

In addition, there is a strong suspicion that there is a transfer of legal facts by transferring legal responsibility to other parties, such as to other corruption convicts.

In fact, the transactions of the issuers who are convicts of other cases do not necessarily harm Asabri, it is even suspected that they will benefit Asabri. Like the transaction by the SIAP issuer in the Asabri transaction.

Based on share transaction data from Asabri, SIAP purchases were made in 2014 and 2015 with an average price of Rp203.7 per share. The total shares purchased were 2,041,673,800 shares with a value of Rp415,799.546.00.

Then in 2015 there was a 'top up' of shares by the issuer for free of 459,527,600 shares through the FoP (Free of Payment) mechanism, possibly given by the issuer with the aim of not harming Asabri.

All shares were sold in 2015 at an average price of Rp226.5 per share, which is higher than the purchase price of Rp203.7 per share. The total sales of SIAP shares in 2015 amounted to Rp566.493,479,200, so for SIAP transactions recorded a profit of Rp150,693,933,200.

Trisakti University criminal law expert Fickar Hajar said it was important to investigate the parties who enjoyed and were involved in the PT Asabri case.

According to Fickar, the legal process in corruption cases must apply the principle of justice. All parties involved, let alone the obvious ones, must be prosecuted. This is important for the rise of confidence in the capital market and the rule of law.

In the Asabri case, said Fickar, investigators must still refer to stock trading data accurately. Moreover, in the Asabri case, a number of issuers suspected of being involved have not yet been prosecuted.

Fickar said that several major anomalies that had not been revealed in the Asabri case were when Sonny Wijaya, President Director of PT Asabri, was believed to have never known Heru Hidayat at the beginning of his tenure. But suddenly in a short time they were able to entrust Heru cs as Asabri's partner in managing such a large investment.

"Without the recommendation and encouragement of someone who is very influential, it is clearly impossible. The rumor circulating is that this person is one of BPK's top brass," said Fickar.