menggelapkan

Menggelapkan is an Indonesian verb with multiple related meanings. In everyday use, it can mean to make something dark or darker, such as menggelapkan ruangan by lowering the lights, or to obscure information, truth, or facts. In a financial or legal context, the term specifically refers to misappropriating funds or assets entrusted to someone, effectively concealing how those resources are used.

Etymology and scope: The word comes from gelap, meaning dark, with the prefix meng- forming a transitive verb. The literal sense covers physical dimming of light, while the figurative sense covers concealment or deception, including concealment of financial dealings or records.

Common contexts and examples: In everyday language, people might say menggelapkan lampu or menggelapkan ruangan to describe dimming the lighting. In corporate or public administration contexts, the phrase menggelapkan uang atau dana describes misappropriation of money, where funds entrusted to a person or institution are diverted for personal use or hidden from proper accounting. The term can also appear in reporting about fraud, embezzlement, or concealment of losses.

Legal context: In Indonesian law, menggelapkan typically relates to penggelapan or embezzlement, a criminal act involving the misappropriation of another’s property or funds. Penalties, procedures, and definitions depend on the applicable statutes and the amount involved, and cases are prosecuted under the national criminal code. The term emphasizes the act of concealment or diversion of assets rather than mere accounting error.

See also: penggelapan, penipuan, tipuan, pencucian uang.