Regent Hubi detained for graft

Regent Hubi detained for graft

JAYAPURA, Papua: Jayawijaya Regent David Agustin Hubi was put in
police detention on Wednesday as a result of his alleged role in
an ongoing corruption case.

The graft case centers on four large expenditures valued at
more than Rp 15 billion ($1.5 million), which were funded by the
Jayawijaya budget between 2002 and 2004. One of the expenditures
was said to be for two Fokker-27 airplanes. Hubi was declared a
suspect after the aircraft purchase turned out to be entirely
fictitious.

The investigation into Hubi has been going on for a month
since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono approved it, said
spokesman of Papua provincial police Adj. Sr. Comr. Kartono.

Hubi is the first regent in over a decade to be put in jail
while being investigated over a corruption case. Another regent,
AP Youw, Nabire Regent, is under investigation for alleged
involvement in a corruption case that centers on the construction
of the Merah Putih Building, but he has not been detained.

Separately, Hubi's lawyer Bernard Akasian claimed that
political forces were behind the investigation. -- JP