KPK Charges Ratu Atut Chosiyah With Extortion

The Jakarta Globe, January 13, 2014.


The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Monday it had sufficient evidence to add extortion to the list of charges facing Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah.

“From the development of the case, investigators have found new corruption allegations [concerning Ratu Atut],” KPK spokesman Johan Budi said in Jakarta.

The Banten Governor’s brother and alleged fixer, Tubagus “Wawan” Chaeri Wardana, also learned that he would face a money-laundering charge over the procurement of medical equipment in Banten province.

Wawan and Ratu Atut face previously announced charges of attempting to fix an electoral dispute in their province by bribing former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar.

Johan said the case had moved forward after investigators found evidence that Ratu Atut had violated Article 11 and 12 of the corruption law, which govern bribery and extortion. The KPK spokesman declined to name the individual alleged to have been extorted, but said it was related to the provincial contracts for medical hardware.

Charging Wawan with money laundering is significant, as it means investigators will have a greater chance of recovering state losses in the event of a conviction. It is, as a rule, considerably more difficult to go after money if a suspect is convicted on graft charges alone.

“Investigators found two pieces of evidence — enough to charge him with money laundering,” Johan said.

“We’ve sent data to the PPATK [so that it may confirm] suspicious transactions,” he added, referring to the Financial Transaction Report and Analysis Center.



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