JAKARTA. Five former top officials at the state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina appeared at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters on Tuesday morning for questioning in relation to the Innospec case.

The five — former Pertamina president director (2000 – 2003) Baihaki Hakim, former Pertamina president director (2003 – 2004) Ariffi Nawawi, former Pertamina president director (2004 –2006) Widya Purnama and former Pertamina president director (2006 – 2009) Ari Hernanto Soemarno, as well as former vice president Iin Arifin Takhyan.

Dody Abdul Kadir, a member of the team of lawyers representing the five, confirmed that they were being questioned as witnesses in relation to alleged gratuities received in a controversial procurement of a fuel additive called tetraethyl lead (TEL).

The additive is able to boost the octane value of gasoline.

Indonesia had planned to make its petrol products lead-free in 1999, but the move was not realized until 2006.

“Yes, [they are being questioned] as witnesses in the alleged gratuity during the TEL procurement,” Dody said Tuesday.

He also confirmed that the questioning was related to “the Innospec case at the Southwark Crown Court in England.”

In March last year, Innospec Limited, the UK arm of a US chemicals firm, appeared at the Southwark Crown Court and pleaded guilty to bribing officials in order to secure contracts for the supply of the chemical.

Innospec was fined US$12.7m (£8.5m) after admitting bribing Indonesian officials.

Innospec sold the TEL to Pertamina between 2002 and 2006 through its agent, PT Soegih Interjaya (PTSI).

A document from Southwark Crown Court mentions that the former processing director at Pertamina, Suroso Armo Martoyo, and former oil and gas director general Rahmat Sudibyo were among the figures who took bribes from Innospec.

The PTSI allocated the bribes under the names “Suroso fund” and “Sudibyo fund”.

Innospec's parent company, Innospec Inc., is listed on the US-based NASDAQ stock exchange, which means that the case was also presided over by US governmental authorities. (Ina Parlina/ The Jakarta Post)

Editor: Edy Can