Cirebon mayor to face graft probe

Cirebon mayor to face graft probe

CIREBON, West Java: The Cirebon prosecutor's office said on Wednesday it had formed a team to investigate alleged corruption cases involving billions of rupiah, which implicated the city's mayor.

The move followed the findings by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction in the Cirebon legislative council that Mayor Lasmana Suriaatmadja was involved in numerous graft-tainted projects.

"PDI Perjuangan's findings have yet to be formally reported to us, but we have responded to the information that we do have by commencing an intensive investigation into the cases," Cirebon prosecutor's office head Iskamto said.

The team includes several senior local prosecutors, he added.

Iskamto vowed to take the mayor and other possible suspects to court, should sufficient evidence be found to charge them in more than 10 suspect projects that were funded by the 2001 budget.

"We will not hesitate to probe the cases, although we have to summon Mayor Lasmana," he said. --Antara