Weekly Bribes of Rp100 Million Allegedly Flowed to Immigration Chief for Four Years

Every weekend, an alleged flow of bribe money totalling Rp100 million was channelled to Silmy Karim, both during his tenure as Deputy Minister of Immigration and as Director General of Immigration. The code name ‘angel’ was reportedly used for the delivery of his share. The money originated from the extortion of foreign nationals processing various immigration documents.

However, according to investigators, the funds received by Silmy may not have been limited to the processing of limited stay permits (kitas), which is the current focus of the case. “We suspect there were other receipts besides those currently being processed,” KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo told detikX.

This suspicion opens the possibility that the money flowing to Silmy came from a broader range of immigration services. Beyond the kitas matter, investigators are now tracing various other types of document applications under the authority of the Directorate General of Immigration, possibly including visa services and other immigration permits. “There are many processes for submitting immigration documents. This is what we will continue to investigate,” Budi stated.

The investigators’ findings did not stop at the suspicion of receiving money. A number of electronic pieces of evidence obtained by the KPK indicate Silmy’s role in the extortion practices occurring within the Immigration department.

The case began with a sting operation conducted by the KPK at the West Jakarta Immigration Office on 3 June. From that operation, investigators developed the case and named eight suspects for alleged extortion in the processing of immigration documents for foreign nationals.

The extortion practice allegedly occurred through the processing of immigration documents by foreign nationals using intermediary services or agents. Applicants were reportedly often obstructed or their applications were not processed until they agreed to pay additional fees beyond the official state tariff. “If it wasn’t processed, then they would meet the officer at the immigration office. Pay first, then the process continues,” Budi explained.

Budi detailed that these additional levies generally ranged from Rp1 million to Rp1.5 million per document processed. This fee was paid outside the official Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP), which should be the only official levy in immigration services. “One package is approximately between Rp1 million and Rp1.5 million,” he clarified.

The collected money was then allegedly distributed to various parties within the Immigration department. To disguise the distribution, the perpetrators used various internal codes. One such term was ‘angel’, which referred to a group of high-ranking officials. “That means the distribution was for high-ranking officials within the Immigration scope,” Budi said.

In the investigators’ tracing, Silmy was identified as a recipient under this code name. “The Director General, ‘angel’,” Budi stated. Besides ‘angel’, investigators found the use of band member terms, such as ‘vocalist’, ‘guitarist’, and ‘backing vocal’, to describe other parties receiving the distribution of money.

Among the names emerging in this case is Junaidi Sri Pambudi, alias JSP, the Head of the Limited Stay Permit Transfer Status Team. According to Budi, JSP’s role was not as one of the ‘band members’ receiving a share, but as the collector and distributor of the money. “His role was actually collecting the money and distributing it,” Budi said.

Investigators suspect that from this group, the flow of funds was directed to high-ranking officials within the Directorate General of Immigration. The KPK also suspects that Silmy received a routine deposit of Rp100 million every Friday via transfer. “It was a transfer,” Budi confirmed.

Based on the KPK investigation, the deposit was channelled through Jaya Saputra, who at the time served as Director of Stay Permits. The KPK suspects this practice occurred while Silmy was still serving as Director General of Immigration. However, the KPK has not yet disclosed the destination account or the identity of the party used in the transfer. Investigators stated they are still tracing the money trail and other parties involved.

The KPK has also named Saffar Muhammad Godam, who briefly served as Acting Director General of Immigration after Silmy, as a suspect. Another name implicated is Jaya Saputra, the former Director of Stay Permits and Immigration Status, who now serves as Head of the West Java Immigration Regional Office. Below them, investigators have also named several technical officials handling residence permit matters. They are Tessar Bayu Setyaji and Bagus Bramantyo, who worked in the Directorate of Stay Permits and Immigration Status.

The case also implicates Ronald Arman Abdullah, who previously headed the West Jakarta and Central Jakarta Immigration Offices. Additionally, Juniadi Sri Priambudi, who allegedly played a role in collecting and distributing the extorted money, and Gusti Benardiansyah, who worked within the Directorate of Stay Permits, have been named.

In this case, the eight individuals are charged under Article 12e of Law Number 31 of 1999, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of the Criminal Code. Seven of them have now been detained at the KPK detention centre after being named suspects on 4 June.

Amid the tracing of money flows and the roles of Immigration officials, the name of the Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Agus Andrianto, has also surfaced. However, the KPK has not yet confirmed whether he will be summoned for questioning in the investigation into the alleged extortion within the Immigration department. “So far, the focus is still on searches at several points. So there is no schedule yet for examining witnesses. We will see how it develops,” Budi explained. The period under KPK scrutiny spans from 2022 to 2026.