Banten to question governor 'as witness' of Rp 14b graft
Banten to question governor 'as witness' of Rp 14b graft
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
The Banten Prosecutor's Office has summoned Banten Governor Djoko
Munandar to be questioned next week as a witness in the alleged
misuse of Rp 14 billion (US$1.56 million) in public funds last
year by five former councillors.
Head prosecutor Kemas Yahya Rahman said his office had enough
evidence to charge the governor for his alleged involvement in
the case.
"We will question him as a witness first ... We'll see what
happens next," he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Kemas said the team of prosecutors had received written
consent from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to question the
governor on Friday.
Four of the suspects were detained on Thursday over their
alleged roles in swindling the money disbursed in 2003 to build
the provincial council's housing compound and to be kept as the
councillors' reserve fund.
When the new council members for the 2004-2009 period started
work in October, there was no sign of the housing compound,
sparking calls for an investigation.
The four are former council speaker Dharmono K. Lawi, his
former deputy Muslim Jamaludin, council secretary Tardian and
former secretary of the council's budget committee Tuti Sutiah
Indra.
The other suspect, former deputy speaker of the council
Mufrodi Muchsin, remains free as the prosecutor's office has been
unable to obtain consent to question an active member of the
House of Representatives.
Kemas said the case file would be completed and handed to the
court by Dec. 20.
He said that charges against the suspects carried a maximum
sentence of 20 years' imprisonment.
Banten secretary A. Rivai confirmed that the summons had been
issued on Thursday.
"We have prepared a team of lawyers to accompany the governor
during the questioning," he said.
Separately in the day, Tangerang District Court placed under
house arrest on Friday former Tangerang regental council member
Harun Alrasyid.
Harun has been accused of misusing a state subsidy of Rp 3.3
billion for religious education facilities.