TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has summoned Pertamina commissioner Sahala Lumbangaol, who is also an expert staff of the state energy company, to testify in a big graft case over the imports of Tetra Ethyl Lead (TEL).

The case, known as Innospec case, was over the imports of TEL by Pertamina in 2004-2005 from Britain with Innospec supplying.

"Sahala Lumbangaol is summoned as witness in the case with SAM (Suroso Atmomartoyo) as the suspect," KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said on Monday.

Suroso was formerly processing director of PT Pertamina charged with accepting US$190,000 in bribery from the director of PT Sugih Interjaya (SI), Willy Sebastian Liem to approve Innospec through PT SI as a supplier of Tetraethyl Lead (TEL) for oil refineries of PT Pertamina from December 2004 to 2005.

Willy also paid the travel cost of Suroso Atmomartoyo to London and Innospec official David P Turner including for accommodation at May Fair Radisson Ewardian Hotel 23-26 April in 2005 worth 749.66 pounds and at a Manchester Hotel on 27 April 2005 at 149.5 pounds.

PT SI was named by The Associated Octel Company Limited (OCTEL) or Innospec to become sole agent for TEL sales in Indonesia in 1982.

However, the Indonesian government launched what was called blue sky program banning the use of TEL in gasoline and diesel oil as from Dec. 31 in 2004.

Willy reported the program and plan to delay the process of implementing the regulation under a joint decision of the energy ands mineral resources minister, the state minister for the environment and the finance minister.

Innospec then agreed to bribe Suroso, who had the authority to sign the purchase of TEL by PT Pertamina and approve the price of TEL before the president of PT Pertamina gav the final approval.

On memorandum from Suroso the board of directors of PT Pertamina approved the TEL procurement for Pertaminaa refineries to be handled by PT SI.

The bribery of US$190,000 for Suroso was transferred to his account at Bank UOB Singapore by phases from January 2004 to September 2005.

The case was a follow-up of the Oil for Food Investigation by the US and British governments.

The case against Suroso and Willy followed the arrest and conviction of four directors of Innospec by British court . The investigations of the convicts led to KPK arresting Suroso and Willy on 24 February 2015.

ANTARA