TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Public prosecutors revealed that local singer Syahrini was named in the assignment letter issued to Handang Soekarno, an official of the Directorate General of Tax. Politicians Fadli Zon, Fahri Hamzah and lawyer Eggi Sudjana were also named in the letter.
“We found 16 companies and individuals, including Syahrini. Who is Syahrini?” the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) public prosecutor Takdir Sulhan asked at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday, March 20, 2017. “Syahrini the celebrity,” Handang said who appeared as a witness at the trial.
As quoted by Antara, the assignment letter says that Ramapanicker Rajamohanan Nair, the country director of exporting company PT EK Prima Ekspor (EKP), paid USD148,500 in bribes out of Rp6 billion being promised to Jakarta special tax office head Muhammad Haniv and Handang Soekarno.
Handang admitted that he only gave recommendations to Rajamohanan over his tax problems and had not done anything to address it.
The indictment says that the bribe was given to grease the restitution of overpaid tax for the period of January 2012 to December 2014 totaling Rp3.53 billion.
Preliminary investigation documents also named prominent figures Fadli Zon, Fahri Hamzah and Eggi Sudjana. The indictment did not specify whether Fadli Zon and Fahri Hamzah were members of parliaments.
According to public prosecutor Mohammad Asri Irawan, Syahrini had tax arrears amounting to Rp900 million between 2015 and 2016. Asri, however, declined to comment on Fadly Zon, Fahri Hamzah and Eggi Sudjana.
Nevertheless, public prosecutors underlined Syahrini’s inclusion in the preliminary investigation documents because it is highly likely that other celebrities had also asked for help to avoid tax. “Maybe Syahrini asked for help [to avoid tax]. It has set a precedent that other celebrities, such as Raffi Ahmad, might have also done the same,” Asri Irawan wondered. Syahrini and Raffi Ahmad have yet to comment on the allegations.
MAYA AYU PUSPITASARI