Indonesia launches international search for fugitive ex-treasurer

2011-07-26 23:47:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

MAKASSAR, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesia's police and immigration departments have launched an international joint mission to seek fugitive Muhammad Nazaruddin, who is accused of accepting bribes worth almost $3 million, officials said Tuesday.

The joint team, which is conformed of a combined group of immigration and police officers, is scheduled to leave Indonesia on Tuesday evening, but their destinations have not been disclosed, Indonesia's Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar told Antara news agency.

Akbar told the media outlet that Nazaruddin's exact location remains uncertain, but the team's destination will not be announced in order to keep the fugitive unaware of the security team's planned operations.

The former treasurer of the governing Democratic Party was officially named a suspect late June in a bribery case involving an athletes' village project in Jakabaring, Palembang. Earlier in the month, the Interpol listed him in its Red Notice list to seek his arrest or provisional arrest with a view to extradition.

In addition, Akbar explained that Nazaruddin's travel documents had been revoked by Indonesia, and if he is still traveling abroad, he would be using an invalid passport.

Specifically, Nazaruddin allegedly accepted Rp 25 billion rupiah ($2.9 million) from a company that won a contract for athlete housing at the South East Asian Games, which will be held in Indonesia in November.

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission officials previously requested a travel ban on Nazaruddin, but he fled to Singapore on May 23, a day before the directorate general of immigration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry issued the ban. He claimed to have traveled for a medical check-up, but his whereabouts have been unknown ever since.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-26

Sounds like Indonesia has it's own Thaksin/Saxena clone.

BTW, is there still a one million baht reward offered for bringing T back to Thailand? I could sure use a million baht. Anyone got a lasso to spare?