Chief councillor charged in graft case

CIANJUR, West Java: Prosecutors here have named the speaker of the Cianjur Legislative Council as a suspect in a graft case involving Rp 430 million (US$51,190).

The chief councillor, identified only by his initials as DZD, is charged with embezzling money from the regency's budget to fund the pilgrimage of 15 councillors to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The charge against the council speaker was hailed by many locals, who have waited for such a decision for a long time.

Anticorruption activists said they hoped the charge would uncover the embezzlement.

"We hope the Cianjur Prosecutor's Office will be serious in investigating the case, so corrupters in the regency can be sent to prison," an activist said.

Chief prosecutor Memed Sumenda said he had not ruled out the possibility that other suspects would be named in the same case. --Antara