Extradition Agreement with Singapore to Help Arrest More Fugitives: Kalla

“We are grateful. The case of Samadikun has been ongoing for the last 13 years. But, thanks to the good cooperation with China, everything has run smoothly,” Kalla stated.

Indonesia has also signed an extradition agreement with Australia, Antara was quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“But, exactly with a country, where the largest number of people had fled, notably Singapore, there is no agreement. Hopefully, Singapore will change its outlook and will be willing to sign an extradition (agreement),” he remarked.

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Former president commissioner of Bank Modern Samadikun Hartono, who had been on the run for the past 13 years since his conviction for embezzling government bailout funds, was extradited from Shanghai, China, and arrived in Jakarta on Thursday.

Chairman of the National Intelligence Agency Sutiyoso and Attorney General HM Prasetyo were present at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport upon his arrival.

Samadikun (98) is now detained in the Salemba Penitentiary, Central Jakarta.

He was found guilty of having embezzled Rp2.5 trillion, or US$190 million, in bailout funds received by the now-defunct Bank Modern from the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance fund during the Asian financial crisis of 1998.

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Samadikun was sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rp169 billion in 2003. The Supreme Court upheld the verdict in 2008, but he fled the country before he could be put behind bars. (T/R07/R01)