Current and Ex-Staff Questioned in Garuda Indonesia Bribery Probe
Jakarta. Investigators on Tuesday (06/02) questioned four current and former employees of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia in an ongoing probe into a bribery case surrounding the purchase of aircraft engines from British engineering firm Rolls-Royce.
All testified as witnesses against former Garuda chief executive Emirsyah Satar, who was named a suspect in the case early last year along with businessman Soetikno Soedarjo.
Soetikno, the president director of Jakarta-based diversified business group Mugi Rekso Abadi, was a beneficial owner of Singapore-based Connaught International, which allegedly acted as a broker in the case.
One of Emirsyah's former subordinates questioned on Tuesday was Hadinoto Soedigno, currently the production director of Citilink Indonesia, Garuda's budget airline subsidiary.
Investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had been investigating possible violations of procedures for procuring aircraft engines at Garuda, KPK spokeswoman Yuyuk Andriati said.
"The interrogation still revolved around the procurement of aircraft engines," Yuyuk told the Jakarta Globe.
The case involved contracts for the purchase of Rolls-Royce engines for 50 Airbus A330-300s between 2005 and 2014, when Emirsyah was Garuda's chief executive.
Rolls-Royce, through Soetikno, allegedly gave Emirsyah 1.2 million euros and US$180,000 in bribes as well as gifts worth $2 million.
Emirsyah and Soetikno, who have been banned from leaving Indonesia, have already been questioned several times as suspects by the KPK. Emirsyah could face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty.
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