Budi Mulya was named a suspect in December, 2012 on charge of abusing his power by approving a short term loan facility (FPJP) for the ailing Bank Century although it was not eligible for it.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday summoned former chief commissioner of scandal hit Bank Century Robert Tantular as a witness in a case with Budi Mulya, a former deputy governor Bank Indonesia, as a suspect.
Budi Mulya was named a suspect in December, 2012 on charge of abusing his power by approving a short term loan facility (FPJP) for the ailing Bank Century although it was not eligible for it.
The Supreme Audit Board said Bank Indonesia changed a regulation it made itself to allow Bank Century to get the loan facility .
Such change would require the approval of the entire board of governor of the central bank, which was at that time headed by Boediono, now the vice president, but so far only Budi Mulya has been named a suspect by KPK.
KPK chairman Abraham Samad said everyone on the board of governors should be responsible for that change .
KPK would have no hesitation to name anyone a suspect even Boediono if its found sufficient evidence against him, Abraham Samad has quoted as saying.
Tantular, who was already convicted and serving a nine year jail term with a fine of Rp100 billion for corruption, refused to talk to reporters.
"He (Tantular) is questioned as a witness in the case of Budi Mulya," Priharsa Nugraha, head of the report and information division of KPK, said here on Wednesday.
Until now the justice and human rights ministry is seeking to freeze the assets of Robert estimated to reach US$16 million deposited in a number of banks abroad.
Bank Century is believed to have assets in 14 countries valued at Rp11 trillion, but so far police have succeeded only in recovering Rp295 billion worth of the bank`s assets in the country.
KPK already questioned at least 38 witnesses in the Bank Century case including former finance minister Sri Mulyani, who is now a general manager of the World Bank in Washington DC.
The bail-out of the mid-sized bank after the global financial crisis rocked the world in 2008 triggered a controversy.
The Rp6.7 trillion (US$700 million) bail out was suspected of being used to save politically connected depositors in the bank.
The bank was facing financial problem after being robbed by its owners, including Robert. The banks owners, some of them fled the country before the law stepped in, also stole money belong to the bank depositors.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
