Tangerang PLN head tried for graft

JAKARTA: Former head of state-owned electricity company (PLN) Tangerang branch, Asnawi Sabrawi, was allegedly involved in a corruption case involving Rp 11.8 billion (US$1.135 million).

"As head of the branch, Asnawi must be responsible for his role in collaborating with defendant Katiyanto Tokarmo, who is his secretary," said prosecutor Jannes Hutapea during the hearing at the Tangerang District Court on Tuesday.

He also revealed that the defendant had submitted between Rp 5 million and Rp 10 million per month to Asnawi to ensure that Asnawi would not report the corruption. But he questioned why Katiyanto and other PLN employees, who were tried separately, had to go to court.

The alleged corruption was discovered after a task force from PLN monitoring electricity bills from several factories in the Tangerang area found that 18 factories had tampered with the electricity meter in order to pay less on their electricity bills. They were assisted by the other defendants Budi Indra Rosadi, Nur Hasan, Raden Abdul Kohar and Andin Saefudin, all PLN employees.

Asnawi was aware of the practice, which had been going on since 1995, but had never reported it because he had benefited from it financially. -- Antara