KPK Confirms The AW-101 Helicopter Case Investigation Hasn't Stopped

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that the investigation into the alleged corruption case related to the procurement of the AgustaWestland (AW)-101 transport helicopter in the Indonesian Air Force is still ongoing.

"Currently, the investigation into the case is still ongoing and is still being carried out by the KPK," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri in his statement in Jakarta, Thursday, February 17, quoted from Antara.

Furthermore, the Corruption Eradication Commission has carried out the collection of evidence and coordination with institutions authorized to calculate state losses.

"The handling of the case goes up to the investigation process by the KPK because we already have sufficient preliminary evidence," said Ali.

In addition, he said, the requirements for elements of state administrators as well as limits on the alleged amount of state losses as stipulated in Article 11 of the KPK Law have been met.

The KPK emphasized that it was not affected by the termination of the investigation of the case by other law enforcers.

"The termination of investigations by other law enforcers certainly does not affect the investigation process that the KPK is currently carrying out," he said.

Previously, the KPK confirmed that the Military Police Center (Puspom) of the National Armed Forces (TNI) had stopped investigating the five suspects in the case.

"Coordination related to problems or information related to the TNI has stopped the investigation process," said KPK Director of Investigation Setyo Budiyanto at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Monday (27/12). Currently, Setyo is the Head of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Police.

However, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) ensures that the handling of the suspect in the case, who comes from the private sector, is still ongoing.

"What about the handling of suspect AW-101 who is here, which is private? So far, the process is still ongoing," said Setyo.

In that case, the KPK has named Irfan Kurnia Saleh, who is the Director of PT Diratama Jaya Mandiri, as a suspect from the private sector.

Meanwhile, POM TNI has named five suspected members of the Indonesian Air Force on behalf of Colonel Kal FTS SE as Head of the Procurement Service Unit, Marshal TNI FA who is in charge of making commitments (PPK) for the procurement of goods and services, Lt. Pekas, Pelda (Auxiliary to Second Lieutenant) SS sensitive staff who channel funds to certain parties, and Marsda TNI SB as Planning Assistant to the Air Force Chief of Staff.

PT Diratama Jaya Mandiri is alleged to have entered into a contract agreement with AgustaWestland as a transport helicopter manufacturer with a contract value of around IDR 514 billion.

In the alleged corruption, the modus operandi was by inflating the price (mark up) of the total procurement of the AW 101 helicopter worth IDR 738 billion. It is suspected that there was a state financial loss of around IDR 220 billion related to the case.

POM TNI investigators have blocked an account in the name of PT Diratama Jaya Mandiri as a provider of goods amounting to IDR 139 billion. In addition, the Joint POM TNI and KPK have confiscated a total of IDR 7.3 billion.