TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Prosecutor's Office has raised the status of the case of the state insurance company Jiwasraya arrears to the investigation stage after it found alleged corruption practice.

The city’s prosecutors’ spokesman Nirwan Nawawi said the status hike was taken after his side discovered an element of corruption, both related to the sales process of the firm’s Saving Plan product and the utilization of its income.

"We have collected sufficient pieces of initial evidence so that the case is upgraded to the investigation stage under the issuance of the investigation order inked by the of the prosecutor's head No.Print- 1611/M.1/Fd.1/06/2019 dated June 26," said Nirwan through a written statement, Thursday, November 28.

At this stage of the investigation, said Nirwan, his side has examined as many as 66 witnesses from related parties and collected documents as evidence. "As well as asking for the appointment of expert auditors from the Public Accounting Firm to further calculate the state losses," Nirwan said.

He explained that the graft practice allegedly occurred from 2014 to 2018 through the central unit of Bancassurance and Strategic Alliance selling its product JS Saving Plan. The product offered a high-interest percentage of around 6.5 percent to 10 percent with a premium of Rp53.27 trillion.

"During the sales practice, there are irregularities as they [Jiwasraya] violates the law while selling its product and using the revenue," Nirwan said.

ANDITA RAHMA