Observer: Febrie TPPU Investigation Must Focus on Tracing Asset Origins, Not Predicate Crime

The investigation into alleged money laundering (TPPU) involving former Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah must remain focused on tracing the origins of assets suspected to be derived from criminal activity. Legal expert from Bung Karno University (UBK), Hudi Yusuf, stated that money laundering is an independent crime, and therefore its prosecution should not depend on first proving a predicate offence, which could prolong the legal process. “In my view, TPPU does not require a predicate crime because it is an independent crime,” Hudi said in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday. He explained that investigators should focus on the reasonableness of the suspect’s assets by comparing them to his official income during his tenure as a prosecutor. “Investigators simply need to ask where such assets came from compared to his income as a prosecutor,” he said. In this case, law enforcement officials are investigating assets worth a staggering Rp476 billion and 74 kilograms of gold that have been seized. The value of these assets is a crucial point to test whether the wealth is proportionate to legitimate sources of income. Hudi assessed that the searches conducted by investigators demonstrate the seriousness of the authorities in uncovering the case. He believes that investigators already possess preliminary information to trace the ownership of the assets. “A case of this magnitude is an achievement for law enforcement, having searched the locations of these assets. I am confident the authorities received information from criminals or reliable informants,” he said. He also reminded investigators not to construct a case that could obscure the focus of the investigation. “Law enforcement officials must not hesitate in the legal process and there should be no scenario within a scenario that could obscure the ownership of these assets,” Hudi stressed. Meanwhile, the investigation has also touched on aspects of witness protection. The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) is currently assessing entrepreneur Ferry Hongkiriwang, who is a witness. Ferry has the opportunity to obtain justice collaborator status if his testimony is deemed to have a significant contribution to uncovering the case. The Attorney General’s Office’s Team 9 continues to trace the alleged flow of funds in the case. Most recently, investigators searched a house in the Kebayoran Baru area, South Jakarta, on Friday night. The search, which lasted about three hours, yielded a number of documents allegedly related to the flow of funds. Head of the Attorney General’s Office Legal Information Centre, Anang Supriatna, stated that the documents found would be submitted to the court for a seizure order before further analysis. “The findings will be analysed and used as evidence to strengthen the construction of the case,” said Anang. However, the seized documents have not immediately revealed the origin of the assets that are the main focus of the investigation. Investigators must still trace the flow of funds, the true ownership of the assets, and the connections between parties allegedly involved in the TPPU case.