Investigation into Sulawesi bribery allegations to go forward
Investigation into Sulawesi bribery allegations to go forward
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite recent objections from councillors, the government
prosecutor's office in Kendari, capital of Southeast Sulawesi,
said it would go ahead with its plan to investigate the alleged
bribery in the recent gubernatorial election in the province.
The chief prosecutor, N. E. Worotikan, said here on Monday he
had just received information from the Attorney General's Office
that the central bank had issued permission for investigators to
check the bank accounts of 43 councillors who cast their votes
during the election, but the letter had yet to be delivered to
Kendari.
"The checking of the councillors' bank accounts will be
conducted soon after the letter reaches the government
prosecutor's office," he said, adding that a team of eight senior
attorneys was collecting necessary data and information to carry
out the investigation.
The bribery case rose to the surface when councillor La Upe
Rasyid admitted to the local press that a number of councillors,
including himself, had accepted bribes to vote for Ali Mase who
later gained a major victory in the gubernatorial election. But,
the councillor did not have the opportunity to make this
admission to law enforcers following his death in a traffic
accident in Makassar, South Sulawesi on Dec. 5, 2002.
Worotikan also said that he and other prosecutors in the city
accepted the Southeast Sulawesi provincial legislative council's
invitation to hold a hearing to discuss the case.
"We will give a clear explanation of our investigation into
the case despite the recent swearing-in of the new governor and
the deputy governor," he said, explaining that the team was still
questioning 17 other witnesses, including several other
councillors, in connection with the bribery case.
In accordance with Law No. 25/1999 on regional autonomy, Ali
Mase's victory in the gubernatorial election will be annulled and
a new election will be held if Ali Mase and his deputy are found
guilty of bribing the councillors.
Abidin Ramli, a councillor who many believe was not involved
in the bribery case, called on investigators to do their best in
their probe that has become a prolonged polemic among the local
elite.
"If the investigation is not completed, the public will remain
indifferent toward the local administration, including the
governor," he said.
Arhab Paproeka, a senior lawyer who represented the
legislators in the case, called on investigators to halt their
investigation since the political process ranging from the
election to the swearing-in ceremony had been completed and the
new governor was already in office.
"Besides, I have made contact with the central bank and its
officials confirmed that there has been no permit issued for the
investigators to check the councillors' bank accounts," he said.
Ali and his deputy Yusran Silondae who won the gubernatorial
election on Nov. 21, 2002, were sworn in by home minister Hari
Sabarno last week, pending the result of the attorneys'
investigation into the case.