Searching East Java Livestock Service, Corruption Eradication Committee Seizes Evidence of Grant Fund Bribery Case

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East Java (Jatim) Livestock Service Building. (Doc. East Java Livestock Service Facebook)

The Corruption Eradication COMMISSION (KPK) searched the East Java (Jatim) Livestock Service on Wednesday, October 16 2024. The coercive effort was related to the alleged bribery case in administering grant funds at the East Java Livestock Service which is currently at the investigation stage.

KPK spokesperson Tessa Mahardhika Sugiarto explained that the search had been completed. Investigators brought a number of pieces of evidence from the coercive efforts that were carried out yesterday.

“In the update, documents and electronic evidence were confiscated,” said Tessa in a written statement, Thursday, October 17 2024.

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Tessa was reluctant to specify the types of documents confiscated. Later, investigators will summon a number of witnesses to conduct further investigation.

The KPK named 21 suspects in this case. A total of four people were recipients of bribes and 17 others were givers.

The Corruption Eradication Committee is still reluctant to detail their identities. However, three of the suspected recipients have the status of state administrators and the remaining one is an official staff member.

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Meanwhile, the 15 suspected givers are private parties. The remaining two have the status of state administrators.

This case previously ensnared former Deputy Chairman 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 East Java Provincial Government grant funds worth IDR 39.5 billion. “Sentenced the defendant Sahat T Simanjuntak to prison for 9 years,” said Chief Judge I Dewa Suardhita. This 9 year prison sentence is lower than the KPK prosecutor’s demand. At the previous hearing on September 8, Sahat was sentenced by prosecutors to 12 years in prison.

Apart from being sentenced to 12 years in prison, the defendant Sahat was also given a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to 6 months. The Golkar Party politician was also required to pay compensation worth IDR 39.5 billion.

If the defendant is unable to pay, the defendant’s assets will be confiscated by the prosecutor for auction and the proceeds will be handed over to the state. If the assets are insufficient then it must be replaced by imprisonment for 4 years. (Z-9)