Jakarta, ThedailyID — Alcohol businessman Benny Tan testified that he gave Rp30 million in cash to a Customs and Excise official.
Tan said the money went to Budiman Bayu Prasojo, Head of the Intelligence, Enforcement and Investigation Section at Indonesia’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise.
He said Budiman requested the money as Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, funds for victims of flash floods in Aceh in November 2025.
Tan gave the testimony during a corruption trial at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday, October 5, 2026.
KPK prosecutors questioned Tan about how he first met Budiman. Tan said an unknown person contacted him and invited him to the Customs and Excise office in Rawamangun, East Jakarta.
During their first meeting, Tan said they mainly discussed market conditions and state revenue. Later, Budiman allegedly asked whether Tan could contribute to flood relief efforts in Aceh.
“There was a disaster in Aceh at the time. Mr. Bayu asked whether I was willing to contribute through CSR to our friends affected by the disaster,” Tan told prosecutor M Takdir Suhan.
Tan said he then went to the office the following day on his own initiative. He brought Rp30 million in cash.
When prosecutors asked how the money was packaged, Tan said he brought three bundles. Each bundle contained Rp10 million.
Tan also said he chose to bring cash rather than transfer the money through mobile banking. He described the decision as his own initiative.
Prosecutors then asked whether Customs and Excise had officially opened a donation program for disaster victims at the time. Tan said he did not know.
Budiman had not provided his response to the testimony when the report was published. The trial was also still ongoing.
Budiman is facing trial in a corruption case involving other Customs and Excise officials. Prosecutors allege that he and two other officials received money totaling Rp525 million, along with foreign currencies.
The alleged payments included Singapore dollars, US dollars, Hong Kong dollars and Malaysian ringgit. Prosecutors said the money came from several businesspeople connected to Blueray Cargo and other businesses under the Directorate General of Customs and Excise’s enforcement activities.
John Field, Dedy Kurniawan and Andri, who were named in connection with the alleged payments, have already been convicted.
Prosecutors charged Budiman under provisions of Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Law and Criminal Code. The prosecution plans to present 25 witnesses, two experts and 382 pieces of evidence during the trial.
