Indonesia’s former top graft prosecutor went on trial Wednesday on charges of extortion and money laundering in a case that burst into public view after police raids in and around Jakarta in July uncovered millions of dollars in gold and cash.
Prosecutors accused Febrie Adriansyah of extorting S$5 million ($3.9 million) from a businessman to keep him from being named a suspect in a corruption case involving a state insurer, according to an indictment read at Jakarta’s corruption court. They alleged Febrie sought the payment while serving as an investigations director at the Attorney General’s Office.
Febrie was also accused of laundering sums of about 346.7 billion rupiah ($19.4 million) and $440,990 between 2020 and 2026. Prosecutors alleged the funds were moved through bank accounts and affiliated companies and used to buy land, buildings, vehicles and gold.
Febrie’s lawyers said after Wednesday’s hearing that he would challenge the indictment, local media reported . The court is scheduled to hear his objections on Oct. 14.
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The trial puts the Attorney General’s Office in the unusual position of prosecuting one of its former senior officials, with legal experts having raised concerns about the institution investigating one of its own. Febrie was detained on July 24, weeks after police raids around the capital uncovered about $26 million worth of gold bars and cash at a house he owns.
Febrie, who resigned as deputy attorney general for special crimes after the raids, has said the gold and cash seized didn’t belong to him.