Probe on fictitious export continues
Probe on fictitious export continues
JAKARTA (JP): The government is continuing the investigation of alleged falsification of export documents involving textile tycoon Kim Johannes Mulia, Attorney General Singgih says.
"The investigation on Kim Johannes is not over yet. Kim is still the prime suspect in the case of falsified export documents," he told journalists yesterday.
Singgih also said that while the investigation continues, the overseas travel ban the government slapped on Kim last year is still in effect.
Last month, Singgih told the House of Representatives that the highly publicized investigation was halted because prosecutors did not have sufficient evidence to press criminal charges against Kim.
Singgih told the House that since Kim had repaid the money he was supposed to pay in export taxes and the government ultimately suffered no financial loss, the attorney general's office transferred the case to Bank Indonesia (the central bank) for further investigation.
There is still a possibility to bring Kim to court for allegedly falsifying export documents, he said after opening a three-day meeting on general crimes at the Attorney General's Office.
However, he said the decision to try or not to try Kim would depend on the results of monetary authorities' investigation now focusing on financial loss inflicted on the state and on new information gathered by the attorney general's office.
"But corruption charges on Kim is not applicable yet because the state suffers no financial losses," he said.
Shipment
According to the results of preliminary investigations, Kim falsified the export documents in an effort to obtain loans from the state-owned Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo).
There are indications that the export documents stated that Kim's company had shipped garments to Singapore, when no such shipments occurred.
There were a total of 12 forged documents certifying shipments of garments from the Jakarta port of Tanjung Priok to Singapore.
Kim has admitted to the government investigators that he falsified export documents in an effort to obtain credit from Bapindo. He also said that he used the credit to improve the performance of his Bogor-based PT Detta Marina.
Singgih insisted that his office had not issued any instructions to stop the investigation.
He told House members last month that Bank Indonesia could not ascertain the amount of losses inflicted by Kim's actions.
In the hearing, Singgih said that Kim, owner of PT Detta Marina, has already repaid all his debts plus interest, totaling Rp 16 billion (US$7.3 million).
He said because the state suffered no financial loss the Anti- Corruption Law could not be imposed and Kim was only required to pay administrative penalties.
"We have concluded that based on our investigation and discussion with officials from the monetary authorities Kim was only responsible for falsifying some export documents and could only be charged administrative fines." he said at the time. (imn)