Graft fugitive Djoko Tjandra taken back to Indonesia after 11 years on the run

Djoko first fled Indonesia in 2009 to Papua New Guinea, before he allegedly lived in various other countries. PHOTO: AFP

JAKARTA - Indonesian police have brought home from Malaysia graft fugitive Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra, who fled 11 years ago after being convicted in a high-profile bank bail-out embezzlement.

National chief detective Commissioner General Listyo Sigit told reporters late on Thursday (July 30) that the arrest of Djoko was a result of a police-to-police cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia.

Handcuffed Djoko, wearing an orange shirt, arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma international airport in Jakarta on Thursday night flanked by Com Gen Listyo and his team. They flew from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport in Kuala Lumpur using a private jet hired by the police.

"President (Joko Widodo) instructed us to search for and immediately arrest Djoko Tjandra and get to the bottom of his case, so it is all clear," Gen Listyo told reporters upon arrival at the Jakarta airport.

Djoko made headlines last month after he managed to return to Indonesia undetected, have his new local identity card issued and file a Supreme Court Civil Review appeal against his two years' jail sentence.

His case tarnished the image of law enforcement under President Joko's administration.

Djoko first fled Indonesia in 2009 to Papua New Guinea, before he allegedly lived in various other countries.

He holds a Papua New Guinea passport.

He took a private jet to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea from Jakarta on June 10, 2009, just a day before Indonesia's Supreme Court slapped him with a two-year jail sentence for helping to arrange an illegal 546 billion rupiah fee paid to his company by three troubled banks bailed out by the government.

On Thursday, Indonesian police also declared lawyer Anita Kolopaking - who allegedly helped to arrange the issuance of a new identity card for Djoko and the filing of a court appeal on June 8 - a suspect.

Djoko then fled to Malaysia via Pontianak, in West Kalimantan province after being in Indonesia probably for a few months.

The police say he was assisted by three rogue police generals, who allegedly provided him with the required travel clearances, including an affidavit stating Djoko tested negative for coronavirus. The three policemen have been suspended and are under investigation.

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