Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Court for Corruption (Tipikor), during a trial here, Monday, charged two high-ranking officers of the Indonesian Police with receiving Rp8.3-billion bribes from Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra, who was convicted in the Bank Bali corruption case.

The two high-ranking officers were Inspector General Napoleon Bonaparte, former head of the National Police's International Relations Division, who was charged with accepting a bribe of 200 thousand Singapore dollars and US$270 or a total of Rp6.1 billion, and Brigadier General Prasetijo Utomo, former head of the Coordinating and Supervision Bureau (Kakorwas) of the Indonesian Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), who was charged with receiving US$150 thousand, or Rp2.2 billion, from Tjandra, according to Public Prosecutor Zulkipli of the Attorney General's Office during the court trial.

Bonaparte and Utomo were bribed to take off Tjandra’s name from the People Wanted List (DPO) registered at the Directorate General of Immigration.

Tjandra was convicted for his role in the Bank Bali corruption case and sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of Rp15 million, or a subsidiary of three months. He had escaped imprisonment.

Secretary of the National Central Bureau (NCB) of INTERPOL Indonesia at the Indonesian Police, headed by Brigadier General Setyo Wasisto, had penned a letter regarding the wanted list of fugitive Tjandra, alias Joe Chan, as a citizen of Papua New Guinea, to the Director General of Immigration, dated February 12, 2015.

In April 2020, Tjandra had contacted his colleague, Tommy Sumardi, to discuss ways to enter Indonesia to file a judicial review (PK) in connection with the Bank Bali corruption case after receiving information that the Interpol Red Notice on him had been opened by the Interpol Headquarters in Lyon, France.

Tjandra was willing to offer Rp10 billion, through Sumardi, to parties working in favor of his entry into Indonesia, especially to the officials at NCB INTERPOL Indonesia in the Police International Relations Division.

Sumardi then met with Utomo at his office at the National Police Criminal Investigation Bureau for the Coordination and Supervision of Civil Service Investigators. Utomo then introduced Sumardi to Inspector General Bonaparte as head of the Police International Relations Division.

On April 28, 2020, Tjandra had urged his secretary to hand over 200 thousand Singapore dollars to Sumardi, who later met Bonaparte on the same day at his office and handed him the money.

On April 29, 2020, Tjandra again requested his secretary to hand over US$100 thousand to Sumardi, who then returned to see Bonaparte at the 11th floor of the TNCC National Police Headquarters and handed over the money.

On May 4, 2020, Tjandra again called on his secretary to give US$150 thousand to Sumardi, who later along with Utomo met with Bonaparte to hand over the amount.

On May 5, 2020, Sumardi and Utomo returned to meet Bonaparte at his office and handed over US$20 thousand.

After receiving the money, Bonaparte wrote a letter informing that Tjandra was no longer enlisted in the database of the Interpol Red Notices after being on the list since 2014.

Following the issuance of the letter, Utomo had demanded money and Sumardi had handed over US$100 thousand on the next day. Related news: Djoko Tjandra under 14-day isolation after entering Salemba facility
Related news: Police ensure objective, transparent probe in Djoko Tjandra's case




Translator: Desca LN, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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