TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) charged Abadi Soetikno Soedarjo, founder of PT Mukti Rekso, of bribing former Garuda Indonesia President Director Emirsyah Satar. Soetikno is accused of paying Rp46 billion to Emirsyah to help him procure aircraft maintenance and procurement projects with Garuda Indonesia.

"[Soetikno] gave the defendant money," KPK prosecutors said in the Jakarta Corruption Court, Thursday, December 26.

Prosecutors said that the procurement and maintenance projects in question were during Emirsyah's term as Garuda CEO from 2005 to 2014. One of the projects was for the maintenance of the Rolls-Royce RR Trent 700 engines.

KPK prosecutors said that in 2005 Garuda had six units of Airbus A330, purchased in November 1989. The airplanes use 15 units of Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.

Since the engine maintenance plan was made, the KPK prosecutor said, Rolls Royce approached Emirsyah through Soetikno; offering the TCP program—a maintenance package that does not involve a third party. At the time, Garuda was actually planning to do the cheaper Time and Base Material program, because of the airline's financial difficulties.

The prosecutor said Soetikno also gave money to Emirsyah to procure several aircraft. Prosecutors said the money given to Emirsyah Satar came from a number of engine and aircraft manufacturers, namely Rolls Royce, Airbus, and Bombardier Aerospace Commercial Aircraft, totaling Rp46bn in today's currency.

According to the prosecutor, Soetikno paid the money through his companies; Connaught International and Ardyaparamita Ayuprakarsa. One of the methods used was to deposit the money in the accounts of Soetikno's companies abroad; which is against the Money Laundering Act.

On this indictment, Soetikno did not submit objection and plea. "I leave everything to legal counsel," he said.

M Rosseno Aji