Depok council investigated for graft

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The Jakarta Police have started an investigation into a graft allegation involving up to 45 Depok councillors who have been accused of misusing Rp 9 billion (US$978,261) of the 2004 council budget.

"We are investigating the graft allegation, but so far we haven't named any suspects," said city police anti-corruption division chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Anton Wahono on Wednesday.

No councillors had yet been questioned, pending approval from West Java Governor Danny Setiawan, he said. "We have already sent a letter to the governor, and will wait for his response."

Anton said the amount allegedly misused in the budget was a preliminary figure, which was still being calculated by the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP). "I don't know when the comptroller will complete the calculation," he said.

He would not say who gave the police the information about the alleged graft.

However, sources in the police said they had already questioned nine people as witnesses. They said the nine were four staff members of the Depok Council, four officials in the Depok administration and one expert witness from the comptroller.

The sources said from the total of Rp 15 billion budget, the 45 councillors used some Rp 9 billion to pay for their daily expenses needs including electricity, tap water and telephone bills at their private houses and to pay property loans.

Each of the councillors also allegedly took and additional Rp 33 million from the budget to pay for maintenance and fuel for their private vehicles and for their life insurance premiums.

Police sources the councillors could be charged with violating the Government Decree No. 110/2000 and Presidential Decree No. 17/200 on council budgets.

So far councillors in five provinces, Kampar, Riau; Cirebon, West Java; Padang, West Sumatra; Kendari, South Sulawesi; and West Nusa Tenggara, have been named suspects in graft cases.