Six Lampung councillors charged with graft
Oyos Saroso HN, The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung, Lampung
Prosecutors have named at least six members of the Bandarlampung legislative council in Lampung province as suspects in a Rp 3.8 billion (US$447,058) corruption case.
The suspects are councillors who served as members of the council's committee that drafted the 2001, 2002 and 2003 budgets, from which the funds were misused.
The councillors were identified by their initials only: M.E., I.A.M., MZ, P., ARJ and GRK.
"The council members have been declared suspects because they were part of the budget drafting committee. They played a key role in misusing the budget," deputy head of the Lampung Prosecutor's Office Darmono said on Friday.
He did not rule out the possibility that the number of suspects would increase.
The Rp 3.8 billion fund had been allocated for health care, a housing project for state officials and allowances for factions in the council.
"The fund for health programs should have been given in the form of insurance, but the suspects disbursed it in cash; the fund for the housing project should have been given only to the council speaker and his deputy, but the suspects disbursed it to all councillors," Darmono said.
He said the allowance fund for the factions was also misused, as the suspects had distributed it to every councillor.
"Most of the irregularities happened with the 2002 budget, but we cannot give you details yet, as the investigation is still underway," he said.
He said his office was coordinating with the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) in the investigation. "We need data from the BPKP to verify whether our data on the irregularities is valid."
No councillor would comment on the charges against their six fellow councillors.
"We have agreed that only the Council Speaker has the right to comment," said Efan Tolani, a councillor from the Justice Party.
Chief councillor Djumahir H.S. said he was waiting for the results of the prosecutors' investigation. "For sure, we will not evade our responsibilities," he said.
Darmono said his office had filed a request with the Lampung caretaker governor, home minister Hari Sabarno, for his permission to question the councillors as suspects.
If the investigation shows evidence proving their involvement in the graft case, the suspects would be detained, he added.
In a separate case, Darsono's office has also named three members of the Lampung provincial legislative council for their alleged involvement in the misuse of around Rp 19.5 billion from the 2001-2002 budget.
The charges were announced on June 9, 2003, but the investigations into these suspects remain on hold, as the prosecutors had yet to receive permission from the home minister to summon them.
The three councillors are: Abdul Azib Zanim, Tan Gatot Mahawisnu and Fauzi Saleh.