Receiving Money From Officials Of The Directorate General Of Taxes, Former Garuda Siwi Widi Stewardess Potentially Charged With Money Laundering

Siwi Widi/DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) may ensnare former Garuda Indonesia flight attendant Siwi Widi for money laundering (TPPU).

This potential was opened after his name was mentioned in the indictment of the official from the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) Wawan Ridwan. Siwi is said to have received hundreds of millions of money from Wawan's son, Muhammad Farsha Kautsar.

"Normatively, yes, back again normatively and the legal norm is Article 5 of money laundering offences. That's (there are, ed) passive perpetrators," said KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata, quoted Friday, January 28.

In Article 5 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Laundering (TPPU) it is stated that anyone who receives something from the proceeds of a criminal act is threatened with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion.

Returning to Alexander, he said Siwi could be charged with the article if he knew where the money came from. This will be investigated by the KPK.

"If he can suspect that at that time, for example, the money passed through the child (the gift, ed) even though it has not worked, if he can suspect that the money in question was only used as a medium or tool to hide corruption assets, of course the person concerned can normatively be charged. the passive money laundering clause," he explained.

However, the KPK refuses to speculate. Alexander said that later investigators and prosecutors would explore further regarding Siwi's receipt of money.

"That will be investigated by the investigator or the prosecutor to see what the urgency is. Is it sufficient to be a witness or will he be named a suspect at least for passive money laundering," he said.

"We can't force investigators or prosecutors, well, he's made a suspect," added Alexander.

It was previously reported that in the trial where Wawan sat as a defendant, it was stated that Siwi received Rp647,850,000 from Wawan's biological son, Muhammad Farsha Kautsar. The two are close friends.

The money was given in stages through transfers from April 8, 2019 to July 23, 2019.

Not only that, Farsha also transferred some money to her two friends, namely Adinda Rana Fauziah, worth Rp. 39,186,927 and to Bimo Edwinanto, in the amount of Rp. 296 million.

In addition, there was also a transfer made to Dian Nurcahyo Dwi Purnomo and his family amounting to Rp509,180,000. The money will be used for business.

For information, Wawan, who is the Head of Registration, Extensification and Assessment of the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Taxes for South Sulawesi, was charged with accepting bribes of 606,250 Singapore dollars from the results of tax manipulation by taxpayers, namely PT Gunung Madu Plantations, PT Bank PAN Indonesia (Panin) Tbk, and PT Jhonlin. Baratama.

In addition, he was also charged with receiving gratuities of Rp. 1,036,250,000, Singapore dollar 71,250, US dollar denominations worth Rp. 625 million, and plane tickets amounting to Rp. 594,900 and Rp. 448 thousand hotels from eight companies and one individual taxpayer.

Furthermore, the money was used to buy assets including cars and luxury goods and was given to many parties.