Chief councillor charged with graft

Chief councillor charged with graft

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: The speaker of Tenggamus regency legislative council, Muaz Munziri, has been named a suspect in a corruption case involving Rp 700 million in loans for local farmers.

Head of Lampung Prosecutor's Office I Putu Kusa said on Tuesday the charge was based on testimonies by three witnesses from the Prinsewu branch of Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), which disbursed the loans.

He said that according to the witnesses -- Kamrus, Ngalimin and Rahmat -- Muaz refused to repay Rp 700 million of the Rp 1.4 billion fund BRI disbursed to a village cooperatives unit led by the suspect.

"They admit having tried to collect the debt on many occasions, but Muaz always tried to evade them," Kusa said.

The money was allegedly embezzled by Muaz, who had also been involved in a separate graft case in which he collected between Rp 30,000 and Rp 50,000 from those wanting to obtain certificates for their land in the forest.

However, none of them have received the promised documents. --JP