KPK and SFO Collaboration: Strengthening Global Anti-Corruption

TheIndonesia.co - Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have strengthened their partnership to combat transnational corruption.

According to Antara News Agency, during a meeting held at the KPK’s Jakarta headquarters, officials from both agencies discussed their plans to enhance cooperation, with a focus on an upcoming technical training session for investigators scheduled for February 25.

The collaboration will involve key players such as the British Embassy, Indonesia’s National Police (Polri), and prosecutors, aimed at improving anti-corruption efforts and sharing expertise in investigating cross-border corruption. KPK Chairperson Setyo Budiyanto underscored the significance of this cooperation in light of Indonesia’s ongoing accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), recognizing the SFO's experience in tackling bribery cases involving foreign public officials.

Budiyanto also expressed gratitude to SFO Director Nick Ephgrave for his participation in a recent technical meeting on the OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention, hosted by Indonesia. He emphasized that the collaboration between the two agencies supports Indonesia's efforts to align with international standards in anti-corruption practices.

Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2010, the KPK and the SFO have fostered a strong partnership. The MoU has enabled the exchange of critical information, data, and best practices on various corruption and money laundering cases. The agencies have also worked together on high-profile cases involving companies such as PT Pertamina, PT Garuda Indonesia, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, and Innospec.

Budiyanto proudly shared that their partnership has yielded significant successes, even compiling their collaborative efforts into a book to document their achievements.

SFO Director Ephgrave affirmed the agency’s long-term commitment to its partnership with the KPK, calling it a valuable and strategic alliance. Ephgrave also confirmed that the SFO will send two senior investigators to Indonesia to provide expertise and share best practices during the upcoming training session.

The SFO reiterated its commitment to working with the KPK on asset recovery related to corruption cases, emphasizing their shared goal of ensuring accountability and transparency in international anti-corruption efforts.