Prosecutors examine more accounts in BRI investigation

Prosecutors examine more accounts in BRI investigation

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State prosecutors have been scrutinizing more accounts in other
banks in their investigation into the fraud case involving state-
owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), which caused Rp 294 billion
(US$34.5 million) in losses.

The assistant for special crimes to the Jakarta Prosecutor's
Office Marwan Effendi, told the Jakarta Post on Saturday that the
investigators had examined seven more accounts in several banks
including accounts in BRI itself and private banks such as
Citibank and Bank International Indonesia.

"There is a great possibility that we will name several new
suspects ... based on these examinations," said Marwan.

Investigators had earlier probed nine accounts at the BCA
branch offices in Kuningan in South Jakarta, the GKBI building in
Central Jakarta, Matraman and Pasar Baru both in Central Jakarta.

There are 29 accounts that received funds siphoned from BRI.
The combined balance of the accounts is around Rp 100 billion,
with Rp 66 billion of it already withheld so far in a secure
account at the BRI's Senen branch.

The prosecutors are still questioning the BRI branch managers
in Senen, Deden Gumilar, the Surya Kencana sub-branch in Bogor,
Asep Tarwan and the Tanah Abang sub-branch, Agus Riyanto as well
as businessmen Yudi Kartolo and Hartono as suspects.

"We are now interrogating them (branch managers) as suspects.
We hope we can find out where the remaining Rp 194 billion has
gone," said Marwan.

The prosecutors previously revealed that the accounts bore the
names of Henry Gozali, Donny Maulana, Yohannes Eka Negara and the
main suspect Yudi, but the investigators said the names could be
new suspects or just false names used by the arrested suspects.

Marwan said he was convinced that the misuse of funds took
place following the questioning of two BRI experts on Thursday
and Friday, who said the BRI officials and businessmen had
orchestrated the scam, the second to surface after the scandal in
another state bank, the Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI).

"It is clear from the statements of the two experts that the
three branch and sub-branch heads colluded with the two
businessmen to embezzle money from BRI," he said.

The prosecutors are still waiting for a Bank Indonesia expert
on banking transactions to give his report, but he failed to turn
up on Friday.

Marwan said prosecutors were also investigating the assets
belonging to the five suspects, including several buildings and
stock shares.

"The assets could bear the names of their family members or
other parties. So, we need to cross-check with the time that they
bought the assets," he said.

The prosecutors would need approval from the High Court to
issue a freeze order on homes or office buildings.

Separately, the Attorney General's Office said it expected to
complete the probe and hand over the case to the court within a
month.

Deputy attorney general for special crimes Sudhono Iswahyudi
said the investigation would finish "before the police complete
their investigation of the BNI case".

"People will see who win the competition (between the police
and the prosecutors)," he quipped.

The BNI fraud case looks to be more complicated because many
of the main suspects have fled abroad. The BNI scam caused Rp 1.7
trillion in losses.