Ismoko detained over BNI bribe case

Ismoko detained over BNI bribe case

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A one-star police general, who had been in charge of a major bank
corruption probe, was officially detained here on Thursday as a
suspect for his alleged role in a bribery case linked to the
high-profile lending scam involving Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI).

The arrest warrant for Brig. Gen. Samuel Ismoko was issued on
Thursday, said Insp. Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani, who now heads the
National Police team to investigate the BNI fraud case.

However, Yusuf who is also the head of the police's internal
affairs division, declined to speak further about the bribe that
Ismoko allegedly received when he was leading the investigation
into the BNI case.

Ismoko formerly headed the fraud squad at the National Police
headquarters when the scandal at the state-owned bank occurred in
2003, inflicting around Rp 1.7 trillion (US$170 million) in
losses to the state.

Bank officers, in collusion with other powerful individuals,
issued fictitious letters of credit out of the Kebayoran Baru
branch of BNI in 2003 to suspects linked to PT Gramarindo.

Ismoko, along with his subordinate Sr. Comr. Irman Santosa,
who has also been arrested, were accused of taking bribes from
BNI directors and at least one other key suspect in the scam,
Adrian Waworuntu, all of whom reportedly wanted their
investigations to be tossed out.

Adrian, a businessman, was convicted recently of involvement
in the BNI case and sentenced to life in prison by the South
Jakarta District Court.

Another suspect, Rudi Sutopo, previously admitted that Ismoko
received a "gift" of up to Rp 180 million from Adrian when he
traveled to Bangkok two years ago.

A police disciplinary committee had earlier ordered the
dismissal of Ismoko as the fraud squad head, and banned him from
involvement in criminal investigations for a year. He was
transferred from the operational division at the headquarters to
be an advisor to the National police chief Gen. Sutanto.

Ismoko is now charged with acting beyond his authority by
giving Adrian and other suspects in the bank fraud special
treatment, as well as taking in-kind bribes from them in the form
of notebook computers and cellular phones.

Also, his subordinate Irman Santosa has admitted in his case
file that Ismoko received a traveler's check worth around Rp 25
million from BNI directors.

Ishak and Jeffri Baso -- Adrian's accomplices -- also
allegedly gave Ismoko a check worth Rp 15.5 billion in order for
him to play down Adrian's role in the case.

Responding to the detention, Ismoko's lawyer Juniver Girsang
said on Thursday that neither he nor his client would sign the
arrest warrant, arguing that the reason for the arrest was
"unclear".

"Under the law, the reason for someone to be arrested is that
there are fears that a suspect may destroy evidence or flee the
country. But that is not the situation here with my client,"
Juniver claimed.