Inspector General Djoko Susilo made over $11 million during his time with the police, far more than his modest salary, prosecutors say. He was arrested in December in a huge embarrassment for the country's notoriously corrupt force.

Prosecutors have collected thousands of pages of evidence against Mr Susilo and it took them four hours to read out the 135-page indictment at the start of the trial at a special anti-corruption court in Jakarta.

Anti-graft agency the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which conducted the probe, has confiscated houses, land, cars and even petrol kiosks from Mr Susilo, some of which were listed under the names of his wives and relatives.

"His assets are suspected of being the proceeds of corruption... as the defendant did not own legal businesses which could generate relatively large profits," chief prosecutor Kemas Abdul Roni said.

Mr Roni said Mr Susilo made $US11.6 million ($11.3 million) during his time with the police from 2003 to 2012, much of which is suspected to have come from corrupt sources.

He faces several charges including money laundering and abuse of authority.

A major part of the case against the former head of the national traffic division is a tender for driving simulators in 2011, from which he allegedly made personal gains of 32 billion rupiah ($3.2 million).

He faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted, although many found guilty of graft get much lower sentences.

Rampant corruption has crippled public services in Indonesia, where paying bribes is routine and half the population of 240 million live below the poverty line.

The KPK has been given extraordinary powers to wiretap suspects, probe bank accounts and investigate the all-powerful police.

In the process it has infuriated some politicians and police, but won the fervent support of ordinary Indonesians.