75 subdistrict heads questioned in graft case

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Muna Police in Southeast Sulawesi have questioned 75 subdistrict heads in Muna regency, Southeast Sulawesi province, over a Rp 1 billion (US$125,000) corruption case allegedly involving a high-ranking official.

The 75 subdistrict heads were questioned as witnesses in the case, which centers on the disbursement of refugee funds last year.

"An official was named a suspect after the questioning," the chief of the Muna Police, Alimuddin T, was quoted as saying by Antara news agency on Saturday.

Alimuddin was referring to a high-ranking official in the Social Affairs Office at the Muna regency administration.

He said the police hoped to question 125 more subdistrict heads to shed more light on the case.

He said it was possible more officials would be named suspects after all 200 subdistrict heads in the regency had been questioned.

The alleged corruption case was brought to light after recent reports suggested that many refugees from Ambon, North Maluku and Poso, Central Sulawesi, never received money set aside for them by the central government last year.

The central government allocated Rp 13 billion ($1,625,000) last year to help the Muna regency administration feed and house the refugees.

The refugees were fleeing sectarian violence in Maluku and Poso which left thousands of people dead and forced hundreds of thousands of residents to seek refuge.

According to the aid scheme, subdistrict heads and officials from the Social Affairs Office in Muna were responsible for distributing money for the refugees.

The aid scheme suggested that each head of family receive Rp 1.5 million in credits.

However, many family heads later said they never received any credits from the government.