THE Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating bribery transactions of grant funds in East Java (Jatim). The information was investigated by investigators by examining 30 witnesses.
“The witnesses who were summoned were questioned in depth regarding the process of managing grant funds for community groups, until they reached the hands of community groups, and were also questioned regarding the giving and receiving of bribes related to the management of the grant funds,” said KPK spokesperson Tessa Mahardhika Sugiarto at the KPK’s Red and White Building, South Jakarta, Thursday (18/7).
Tessa was reluctant to detail the identities of the 30 witnesses. But, she said, six of them have the status of legislators.
“The examination of all witnesses was conducted in Surabaya City, the witnesses present consisted of four members of the East Java Provincial DPRD, two members of the Regency DPRD, and the rest were private parties,” said Tessa.
The KPK was supposed to summon four other people to investigate the case. However, they did not attend for a number of reasons.
“Two people have not yet returned from the Hajj pilgrimage, and two others are sick,” said Tessa.
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Tessa was reluctant to detail the information explained by the witnesses in order to maintain the confidentiality of the investigation. In this case, the KPK has confiscated a number of documents by searching a number of locations from July 15, 2024 to July 18, 2024.
“We have carried out a series of activities, in the form of examining witnesses and confiscating documents, related to the release of KPK investigation activities, management of grant funds for community groups or Pokmas from the East Java Provincial Budget, for the 2019 to 2022 budget years,” explained Tessa.
The KPK has named 21 suspects in this case. Four people are recipients of bribes and 17 others are givers. The KPK is still reluctant to detail their identities. However, three suspects who received the bribes are state administrators and the remaining one is an official staff.
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Meanwhile, 15 suspects who gave the bribes were private parties. The remaining two were state administrators.
This case previously ensnared former Deputy Speaker of the East Java DPRD Sahat Tua Simanjuntak. He was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in prison by the Panel of Judges at the Surabaya Corruption Court, Tuesday, September 29, 2023.
Sahat was found guilty of accepting bribes from the East Java Provincial Government grant funds worth Rp39.5 billion. “Sentencing the defendant Sahat T Simanjuntak to 9 years in prison,” said Chief Justice I Dewa Suardhita. The 9-year prison sentence is lower than the KPK prosecutor’s demand. In the previous trial on September 8, Sahat was demanded by the prosecutor to 12 years in prison.
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In addition to the 12-year prison sentence, the defendant Sahat was also fined Rp1 billion, subsidiary to 6 months. The Golkar Party politician was also required to pay compensation of Rp39.5 billion.
If unable to pay, the defendant’s property will be confiscated by the prosecutor to be auctioned and the proceeds handed over to the state. If the property is insufficient, it must be replaced with a prison sentence of 4 years.
(Z-9)
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