AGO Responds to Questions on Seized Cash and Gold in Febrie Adriansyah Case
The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has responded to public pressure for transparency in the handling of the alleged criminal case involving former Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah, particularly regarding the origin or ownership of 74 kilogrammes of gold and Rp476 billion in cash seized during a search.
Head of the AGO Legal Information Centre, Anang Supriatna, stressed that his office is fundamentally open in investigating the case. However, he explained that there are technical aspects of the investigation that cannot yet be fully disclosed to the public in order to maintain the smooth progress of the ongoing examination process.
“We have been very open, however, there are some things that investigators cannot disclose for the sake of the smooth running of the investigation so that it does not encounter difficulties,” Anang said when confirmed on Tuesday (4/8).
Anang revealed that the AGO’s Team of Nine Investigators is currently examining witnesses and evidence. This examination includes the ownership status of the gold and cash previously seized by investigators from the Police’s Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortas) before the case was transferred to the Attorney General’s Office. This step is being taken to strengthen the construction of the articles and the proof of the case charged against Febrie Adriansyah.
“Investigators are examining witnesses and evidence, including the ownership of the gold and money that have been seized by investigators from the Police Kortas to strengthen the proof and construction of the case being handled,” he explained.
When pressed further on whether the ownership status of the gold has been confirmed as belonging to Febrie or another party, Anang declined to speculate further. He assured that the ownership of the gold and money will be tested openly before the panel of judges.
“All of that will be proven in court later,” Anang stressed.
Previously, the AGO named Febrie Adriansyah a suspect in a money laundering (TPPU) case. Febrie is currently detained at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Detention Centre.
The naming of the suspect is part of the investigation into four Investigation Orders handled by the AGO, following the transfer of case files from the Police’s Kortastipidkor and the Metro Jaya Police’s Special Criminal Investigation Directorate. Besides the money laundering case implicating Febrie, the three other investigation orders cover alleged corruption in PLN’s coal procurement that triggered a blackout, the PT Asabri case, and alleged corruption at PT Krakatau Steel.
Febrie Adriansyah’s legal counsel, Febri Diansyah, stated that AGO investigators must clearly and with strong evidence reveal the ownership of the money, 74 kilogrammes of gold, and Rp476 billion in cash seized in connection with his client’s case. Febri said his client has already explained the matter to investigators, but he noted it is the investigators’ duty to find out, not merely rely on the suspect’s confession.
“It has been explained, it must be sought. That is the investigator’s duty to find out. Do not rely on the suspect’s confession. When someone has become a suspect, I should say, the investigator has strong evidence and that should be explained. If it is not explained in detail because it is considered an investigation secret, that’s okay,” Febri said in a statement on Thursday (30/7).
Furthermore, he stated that investigators must also be able to explain the predicate crime that forms the basis for naming his client a suspect in the money laundering case. “We respect the investigator’s authority, but investigators should certainly prove this. If the assets have been found, then trace it backwards. Whose assets are these and where did they come from? This is what is unclear,” he concluded.