Former Acting Village Head in Southeast Sulawesi Arrested for Alleged Village Fund Corruption of Rp510 Million

Police have arrested MR, the former Acting Village Head (Plt Kades) of Labulubulu Village, Parigi Subdistrict, Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra), on suspicion of involvement in a case of alleged corruption of village funds amounting to Rp510 million.

“Yes, the results of the investigation into the management of village funds for 2021-2022, which are suspected of not being used according to their purpose. Several fictitious activities,” said the Head of Public Relations at Muna Police Resort, Iptu Muhammad Jufri, in his statement.

Jufri explained that in 2021, village funds amounting to Rp202.6 million out of a total budget of Rp812 million were allegedly embezzled. Then in 2022, funds of Rp307.5 million were found to have not been realised from a total budget of Rp972 million.

Among the funds allegedly embezzled were programmes to address child malnutrition, or stunting.

“The programmes that did not run include stunting prevention, improvement of village roads, procurement of coffee seedlings, and efforts to prevent and control COVID-19,” he clarified.

For now, said Jufri, investigators from Muna Police Resort are still conducting investigations and examining MR regarding the alleged corruption that occurred during his tenure as acting village head.

“During his tenure as village head, the suspect is alleged to have committed criminal acts of corruption of village funds. As a result of these actions, the state is estimated to have suffered losses of Rp510 million,” he revealed.

As a result of his actions, MR is charged under Article 603 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 on Corruption.

“The suspect has been detained at the Muna Police Resort Detention Centre for the next 20 days,” he said.