NTB governor cleared of graft charges
NTB governor cleared of graft charges
The Jakarta Post, Mataram, Jambi/Padang
In a surprise move on Monday, prosecutors retracted an earlier
statement naming West Nusa Tenggara Governor (NTB) Lalu Serinate
a suspect in the embezzlement of Rp 24 billion (US$2.6 million)
from the 2001/2002 provincial budget.
The governor was removed as a suspect even though he was never
questioned over the case by prosecutors
All of this happened after Ahmad Zainal Arifin was installed
as the new head of the NTB Prosecutor's Office.
Senior prosecutor Parwata Kusuma had previously, and
repeatedly, said that at least 18 local councillors and
government officials, including Serinate, were suspects in the
corruption case.
But Arifin said on Monday there were only 12 suspects in the
case and the remaining six people were merely witnesses.
"Since I assumed my post as chief prosecutor here, there are
only 12 suspects in the corruption case, including NTB
legislative council speaker Sunardi Ayub. Governor Lalu Serinate
is not among the suspects," Arifin said.
He claimed his office had never issued a letter declaring the
governor a suspect in the case.
Parwata, who publicly announced that the governor was a
suspect, has been replaced as the assistant to the chief of the
special crimes division at the prosecutor's office.
In other matters, Arifin said his office had named the head of
the Sumbawa logistics agency, Jack Nouvel Ali Alcaff, and one of
his subordinates, Suharjono, as suspects in the misuse of Rp 3
billion earmarked last year to purchase rice for the poor.
"I have ordered the arrest of the two suspects," Arifin said.
Jack and Suharjono have reportedly fled their homes and are
being considered fugitives.
In Jambi, the spokesman for the local prosecutor's office,
Andi Azhari, said on Monday his office would soon question East
Tanjungjabung Regent Abdullah Hich and the entire regency
legislative council for the 1999-2004 term over possible budget
irregularities.
Five of the 30 councillors from the previous term were
reelected during the April 5 legislative election.
Abdullah reportedly approved a Rp 3.6 billion allocation from
the regency budget to pay the councillors a bonus when they ended
their five-year term in August. Each councillor reportedly
received Rp 120 million.
An investigation into the case began in October and 10
councillors have been summoned by prosecutors. However, only six
of the councillors answered the summons.
Azhari said the regent would be questioned only after all 30
of the councillors had been investigated.
The spokesman said other government officials in the East
Tanjungjabung administration could be named as suspects in the
case, depending on the results of the investigation.
"We hope to complete the investigation within three months,"
Azhari told The Jakarta Post.
He said the money for the councillors' bonus came from the
regency's 2002/2003 budget, in violation of Government Regulation
No. 110/2004 banning such payments.
Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin said he supported all efforts
to create good governance in the province, and promised to give
police and prosecutors permission to summon any official
implicated in a graft case.
In West Sumatra, the Padang Prosecutor's Office placed former
mayor Zuiyen Rais under city arrest on Monday for alleged
corruption.
Zuiyen, along with 41 former Padang councillors, was named a
suspect in the embezzlement of Rp 10.4 billion from the city's
2001/2002 budget.
The former mayor, accompanied by lawyer Khaidir Gani, arrived
at the Padang Prosecutor's Office on Monday but refused to speak
to journalists.
Local chief prosecutor Muharnis said Zuiyen was banned from
leaving the city for 20 days, effective as of Monday.
Muharnis said his office would soon file a court case against
Zuiyen.
In a recent string of cases, government officials across
Indonesia have been named corruption suspects. Indonesia was
recently ranked by graft watchdog Transparency International as
the world's fifth most corrupt country.