Banten governor quizzed over graft
Banten governor quizzed over graft
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Banten Governor Djoko Munandar was questioned as witness in a
graft case on Thursday at the prosecutor's office, which has
tightened its security following several threatening phone calls
to the office.
The prosecutors posed questions related to the disbursement of
about Rp 13.5 billion (US$1.5 million) to the Banten councillors
last year. Five former councillors have been named suspects for
allegedly misusing the money but only four have been detained.
"We would like to know the Governor's role in this case
because he holds the authority over financial matters," chief
prosecutor Kemas Yahya Rachman said.
Investigation head AK Basuni Masyarif said it was still too
early to accuse Djoko of involvement in the misuse of the funds.
Of the money, taken from the administration's reserve fund, Rp 10
billion was allotted to build a housing compound for councillors
and another Rp 3.5 billion was for councillors' welfare. The
money was taken from the administration's reserve fund.
When new council members started work in October, no work had
been done on the housing compound.
Non-governmental organizations the South Banten Community
Association (HIMBAS) and Western Java Forum (Forbaja) then
reported the case to the prosecutors and urged for an
investigation.
The four councillors who have been detained are former council
speaker Dharmono K. Lawi, his former deputy Muslim Jamaludin,
council secretary Tardian and former budget committee secretary
Tuti Sutiah Indra.
The other suspect, the former deputy speaker who has been
reelected, Mufrodi Muchsin, remains free as the prosecutor's
office has been unable to obtain the consent from central
government to question an active councillor.
It was not until after they detained councillors, that
prosecutors started to receive threat calls, they said.
The Jakarta Post observed that metal detectors had been
installed around the office building while all vehicles entering
the office, on Jl. Raya Serang-Pandeglang, were tightly examined.
"I don't want to exaggerate things, but we have to stay alert
following the arson attack on the house of the head of the
Bengkulu prosecutor's office, Rusdi Taher, who is also handling a
corruption case involving former councillors," Kemas said.