What happens when Indonesia’s top corruption buster is suspected of graft himself?

Rows of gold bars, stacks of US and Singapore dollars and seven suitcases found inside a locked safe have become the defining images of one of the biggest scandals to hit Indonesia’s law-enforcement establishment in years.

Police said they recovered 74kg (160lbs) of gold, plus more than US$15 million in multiple currencies from a house linked to Febrie Adriansyah, who until last week served as Indonesia’s deputy attorney general for special crimes, and is now suspected of corruption.

Authorities estimate the bullion and cash found at the Sentul residence in Bogor, southeast of Jakarta, are worth about 476 billion rupiah (US$26 million). Images of neatly arranged gold bars and bundles of banknotes have featured prominently across Indonesian television and news websites since the raids.

The scandal raises serious questions for Indonesia, where the rupiah tumbled 10 per cent in the past year to become Asia’s worst-performing currency, over concerns about institutional integrity and policymaking. A big question is whether the discovery of the riches shows that safeguards against corruption are working, or whether a succession of scandals indicates corruption is worsening.

“Any corruption case involving a senior government official can negatively affect investor confidence, as it raises concerns about governance and the investment climate,” said Henry Wibowo, director at Alphagate Capital in Jakarta. “However, if this reflects a genuine commitment by the government to strengthen governance and clean up corruption, it could ultimately be viewed positively.”

The case has created an unusual institutional dilemma. Police said the investigations would be transferred in stages to the Attorney General’s Office, meaning the institution Febrie led until days ago would now handle proceedings against its former senior official.