Mataram Police Ask BPKP To Help Calculate State Losses In The COVID-19 Mask Corruption Case

Head of Satreskrim Mataram Police Commissioner I Made Yogi Purusa Utama. (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

Mataram City Police Investigators asked the financial and development control agency (BPKP) to help calculate state losses in the alleged corruption case in the procurement of masks for handling COVID-19 in West Nusa Tenggara. Head of the Mataram Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Kompol I Made Yogi Purusa Utama, said investigators had officially submitted the request to BPKP. "Yes, we have submitted (a request) and now the coordination process," said Yogi in Mataram, Thursday, October 12. He explained that the request for assistance to calculate state losses in this case was an effort by investigators to strengthen evidence. In addition to the issue of losses, investigators are also still strengthening evidence from the ongoing examination of witnesses. "There are still many witnesses. They are still around MSME players who can share in working on projects," he said. For witnesses from among government agencies, he said this was still in the queue for examination. "Just wait. What is certain is that everything we have ever asked for information in our investigation is checked," he said. In investigating the case, the Deputy Regent of Sumbawa Dewi Noviany once visited the Mataram Police in order to fulfill the invitation of 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 holding a sub-section position at the NTB Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD). 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.

The Mataram Police also began carrying out an investigation in January 2023. The handling of this case entered into investigation in mid-September 2023 based on findings of indications of unlawful acts (PMH) that led to criminal acts of corruption.