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Yet Another Case of Prison Privilege in Indonesia Anita Rachman & Dessy Sagita | September 14, 2011 With illegal behavior rampant in the country’s jails, reports that high-profile graft convict Gayus Tambunan had Rp 4 billion ($460,000) in cash in prison, raised no eyebrows on Wednesday. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal) With illegal behavior rampant at the country’s jails, reports that a high-profile graft convict hid Rp 4 billion ($460,000) in cash while in jail came as no surprise on Wednesday. “Drugs, handphones, BlackBerries and even sex workers can get inside prisons. What’s so difficult about getting Rp 4 billion in, too?” asked Eva Kusuma Sundari, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker and member of House of Representatives Commission III, which oversees legal affairs. Eva added that bribing officers at prisons was a common practice, and that a complete overhaul of the nation’s penal system would be needed to eradicate deep-seated corruption. Gayus Hamonangan Tambunan became a household name last year when it was revealed the former taxman bribed his way out of embezzlement charges at the Tangerang District Court. With his Rp 100 billion in cash, bullion and jewelry, Gayus was also able to bribe prison wardens into allowing him to leave his jail cell, including to travel overseas. Gayus, who was sentenced to 12 years, was fleeced by Muntaha at the Cipinang State Penitentiary in East Jakarta, an official at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights said on Wednesday on the condition of anonymity. Muntaha also allegedly took money from two other inmates. Eva expressed alarm that Gayus was able to access such a large amounts of money as his assets had been frozen. “You can imagine the magnitude of this case,” she said. Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said on Wednesday that there was no regulation banning inmates from bringing money from outside. He also said it would be difficult to enforce any such rule if it came into existence. In Gayus’ case, Patrialis said he believed the graft convice had brought the money into prison in several installments. “He brought some one day, then the next day, then the next week,” he said, adding that Gayus was reported to have Singaporean dollars in his cell. Patrialis said it was difficult to ensure no money entered the jail because of the large number of prisoners and their visitors. “Should we have gone as far as examining his underwear?” Patrialis said, commenting on how hard it was to control people and prevent them from bringing in things from outside. The minister admitted he had received reports that Gayus had been defrauded by a fellow prisoner who said he could multiply money. Gayus gave about Rp 4 billion to the fellow prisoner, Patrialis said, without identifying Muntaha. For student Rai Carolina, Gayus’ latest case was a perfect example of the corruption in the Indonesian justice system. “He’s in jail, where access to the outside world should have been cut off, yet he managed to get his wife pregnant and stash a lot of cash. How did that happen? Doesn’t anyone pay attention to him?” she asked. Bank employee Jarnawi said he suspected some of the wardens knew Gayus was bringing cash into the prison. “I bet Gayus dared to take his money into the prison because he was promised protection,” Jarnawi said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
