Official charged with abusing Japanese aid

Official charged with abusing Japanese aid

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: Former head of the Lampung plantation
office Tibrizi Asmarantaka was arrested after being accused of
embezzling Rp 15.8 billion (US$1.6 million) from Japanese
assistance funds connected to the Overseas Economic Cooperation
project.

Lampung Prosecutor's Office spokesman Zaidar Raepta said
Tibrizi was arrested on Tuesday and would be in detention until
May 12.

The detention was necessary to prevent the suspect from
fleeing the investigation or destroying the evidence against him,
he added.

The corruption case has also implicated Lampung Governor
Oemarsono. However, he denied any wrongdoing and said he could
not be held responsible for the disbursement of the funds.

"It was a national project run by the Ministry of Forestry and
Plantations in 1998, so it's ridiculous if others say that I was
involved in the administration of the project. I have never
signed anything," he argued. --JP