Anti-Corruption Unit Seizes Documents in Gowa Illegal Levies Case
Gowa, South Sulawesi — A joint police team has secured four boxes containing alleged important documents related to suspected illegal levies (pungli) and gratification in the processing of Building Approval (PBG) and Certificates of Functional Suitability (SLF) in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi.
“Today, we conducted a series of investigative processes regarding alleged corruption crimes related to the PBG licensing process and other permits,” stated Brigadier General Pol Hernowo Yulianto, Investigator of the Major Corruption Crimes Division (Kortas Tipidkor) of the Indonesian National Police, at the Gowa Regent’s official residence on Monday night (21/9).
As part of the deepening investigation, a joint team comprising the Anti-Corruption Crimes Division of the National Police Headquarters, the Corruption Crime Unit of the South Sulawesi Regional Police, and the Corruption Crime Unit of the Gowa City Police conducted searches at the Gowa Regent’s Office and the official residence.
“One of the investigative processes we conducted today was a search. The purpose of this search is to find evidence to clarify this criminal act. The evidence we are seeking is, of course, evidence related to corruption. Therefore, what we secured tonight includes documentary evidence and several pieces of electronic evidence,” he told members of the press.
From the results of the search, a total of four plastic boxes containing documents suspected to be related to the handling of the case were seized by the police. Three boxes were taken from the Gowa Regent’s Office and one box from the Regent’s official residence. The searches at the two locations commenced at 15:57 WITA.
“We conducted searches at only two locations today: first, the Regent’s Office, including the general affairs office, and second, here at the Regent’s official residence,” he added.
The former Sub-Director of Corruption Crimes at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency stated that the search was carried out by a joint team from the National Police Headquarters and the South Sulawesi Regional Police. During the search of the two locations, the Regent of Gowa, Sitti Husniah Talenrang, was not present.
“This is the first time the joint team from the Headquarters and the Regional Police has conducted such a search. The Regent was not present,” said the former Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Riau Islands Regional Police.
Regarding the searches at the two locations, Hernowo emphasised that the police had prepared warrants and followed all regulations, including court permits.
“I believe we are fully equipped with warrants issued by the court. This was communicated to those present at the search locations. Any room related to this matter, including those in the official residence, was subject to the search,” he said.
Gowa Police Chief, Kombes Pol Muh Yusuf Usman, stated that the searches of the two government-owned locations were carried out entirely by the National Police Anti-Corruption Unit and the South Sulawesi Regional Police Corruption Crime Unit, while the Gowa City Police assisted in securing the locations, as the case has been handed over.
A day earlier, Sunday (20/9), investigators from the South Sulawesi Regional Police seized a Toyota Hiace vehicle in Doja Hamlet, Tangke Bajeng Village, Bajeng District, Gowa Regency. The vehicle was using two different licence plates: DD 7010 HT (black lettering) and DD 1 SRA (red lettering). The seizure was part of the investigation’s development based on statements from several witnesses who had been interrogated.
In this case, investigators previously named the former Head of the Gowa Housing and Settlement Department, Abdullah Sirajuddin, as a suspect and have placed him in detention. The police have also interrogated 58 witnesses and traced fund flows amounting to approximately Rp1.8 billion, as well as conducting searches at several locations, including the PT GMTD office in Makassar, to trace property purchase transactions valued at around Rp3 billion.