Handling Of Mask Corruption Cases Rises Investigation

Mataram Police Chief Kombes Mustofa. (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

The handling of cases of alleged corruption in the procurement of masks in the government's efforts to overcome the spread of COVID-19 in the West Nusa Tenggara region which allegedly involved the Deputy Regent of Sumbawa Dewi Noviany is now up to the investigation stage.

Mataram Police Chief Kombes Mustofa explained that the increase in the status of handling from the investigation stage to the investigation stage was based on findings of indications of unlawful acts (PMH) related to criminal acts of corruption.

"Certainly it (PMH) is about the potential for state financial losses and indications of acts of enrichment so that it is increased from investigation to investigation," Mustofa said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 27.

Regarding the potential state losses that arise, he said this still needed further investigation from audit experts.

"Is it related to fictitious, price inflation, maybe from the quality of goods, maybe HPS that is not appropriate, which should be Rp. 10,000 to Rp. 3,000. All of that requires deepening," he said.

Therefore, Mustofa said that in this investigation stage there will be an agenda for investigators to coordinate with expert audits of state losses.

"Meanwhile, we have just improved the handling. There has been no communication about it (the potential for state losses) either with BPKP or BPK, but later there will be (audit)," he said.

By conveying this, Mustofa revealed that his party at the initial stage of this investigation had only begun to schedule the examination of witnesses.

The witnesses who were included in the examination agenda, he explained, were the parties who had provided information at the investigation stage, including the Deputy Regent of Sumbawa in his capacity as an official in the NTB Provincial Government who has the power in the project distribution process in the year of handling COVID-19.

"This procurement involves more than a hundred MSMEs from all regencies/cities, we also have to check it. So, it takes a long process," said Mustofa.

By providing an overview, he asked for public support so that the handling of this case could run smoothly and his party could reveal legal certainty from the alleged corruption.

"So, at this time we are still collecting evidence, we ask for your blessing, hopefully, the handling of this case can be delegated immediately. Later, every time there is a development of handling, we will definitely inform you," he said.

The Deputy Regent of Sumbawa at the investigation stage once visited the Mataram Police in order to fulfill the invitation from the police to provide information. The activity took place on August 14, 2023.

When this project was rolled out through the NTB Small and Medium Enterprises Cooperative (UKM) Office, the Deputy Regent of Sumbawa was recorded as still the Head of the NTB Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD) Subdivision.

The procurement of masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 runs using the NTB APBD funds worth IDR 12.3 billion. The government prepared the funds from the results of the budget "refocusing" policy during the pandemic.