Customs Official Budiman Bayu to Be Charged with Accepting IDR 5.7 Billion in Gratuities

Prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have transferred the case file of Budiman Bayu Prasojo, the Head of the Customs Intelligence Section at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, to the Jakarta Corruption Court. Budiman is set to stand trial imminently. KPK Prosecutor M Takdir Suhan stated that the administrative transfer, including the indictment and case file for the defendant Budiman Bayu Prasojo, was carried out as a continuation of the evidentiary process stemming from the investigation within the Ministry of Finance’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise. The prosecutor confirmed that Budiman will be charged with receiving gratuities amounting to more than IDR 5.7 billion, including receipts in various foreign currencies. Full details regarding the parties who provided the gratuities will be disclosed during the first session of the trial, when the indictment is read out. The prosecution is currently awaiting the court’s determination of the trial date and the appointment of the panel of judges. Three other customs officials have already faced trial in connection with this case: Rizal, the Director of Enforcement and Investigation; Sisprian Subiaksono, the Sub-Director of Intelligence at the Directorate of Enforcement and Investigation; and Orlando Hamonangan, the Head of the Customs Intelligence Section I. They were charged with accepting bribes and gratuities totalling IDR 78.8 billion, and their trial is currently at the witness examination stage. Meanwhile, three defendants accused of giving bribes—John Field, the head of Blueray Cargo; Deddy Kurniawan Sukolo, the company’s Operational Manager; and Andri, the head of the documents team—have already been tried and convicted. John Field was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of IDR 300 million, with a subsidiary of 100 days in confinement. Deddy Kurniawan Sukolo and Andri each received a sentence of one and a half years in prison and a fine of IDR 200 million, with a subsidiary of 80 days in confinement.