Officers present evidence in the form money and documents during a press conference related to the arrests of officials from the Ministry of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration, and the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters in Jakarta on Saturday (27/5). The press conference was attended by KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo (second left), KPK deputy chairman Laode M Syarif (left), BPK chairman Moermahadi Soerja Djanegara (right), BPK deputy chairman Bahrullah Akbar (second right) and KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah.
In the past three weeks, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) successfully arrested a slew of alleged corruptors. Looking at its trend, it seems antigraft investigators will not stop working. They hunt down corruptors who want to get haram (forbidden) money on the pretext of Idul Fitri bonuses.
In the past three weeks, the KPK detained alleged corruptors in Jakarta, Surabaya in East Java and Bengkulu, all of whom stand accused of bribery.
On Friday (26/5) afternoon, the KPK arrested Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) chief auditor Rochmadi Saptogiri along with fellow auditor Ali Sadli, as well as Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry inspector general Sugito and the ministry’s echelon III official Jarot Budi Prabowo.
Rochmadi and Ali have allegedly accepted Rp 40 million (US$3,000.84) from Sugito in relation to the issuance of an unqualified opinion in the ministry’s financial report.
On Monday (5/6), the KPK arrested the East Java Legislative Council Commission B chairman Mochammad Basuki and his staff. Basuki was found to have asked for money from his commission’s working partner.
The KPK also arrested East Java Agriculture Office head Bambang Heryanto and East Java Farming Office chairperson Rohayati.
Three days later, the antigraft body also arrested Bengkulu Prosecutors’ Office intelligence head Parlin Purba at a restaurant when he was asking for money from a businessperson and a civil servant who were facing legal prosecution.
Trend
KPK Gratification director Diri Suprapdiono said it was not surprising to discover bribery cases ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday. Many corruptors have been arrested ahead of the festivities.
In 2012, investigators arrested two justices with the Semarang Corruption Court, Kartini Marpaung and Heru Kisbandono, for taking bribes to help settle the case of a Central Java official.
In 2013, an employee of lawyer Hotma Sitompul, Mario Cornelio Bernardo, and Supreme Court official, Djodi Supratman, were arrested over a bribery case related to the handling of a cassation case.
In 2014, Karawang Regent Ade Swara and his wife Nur Latifah were arrested after taking bribes related to the issuance of an administrative license in Karawang. In 2015, three justices with the State Administrative Court in Medan, Tripeni Irianto Putro, Amir Fauzi and Dermawan Ginting, were unable to celebrate Idul Fitri after they were arrested for taking bribes from an employee of lawyer OC Kaligis, M Yhagari Bhastara.
In this case, the justices said the kickback was to be shared with their subordinates as Idul Fitri bonuses.
KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said the KPK’s sting operations know no time boundaries. Corruptors smartly find a pretext to get hold of haram money, including by saying it would be used as Idul Fitri bonuses.
