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.