Mataram Police Examine 79 MSME Actors Regarding COVID-19 Mask Corruption

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

Mataram Police Investigators examined 79 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) related to the alleged corruption case in the mask procurement project during the COVID-19 response in the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) region.

"Yes, so far, 79 MSME actors have been questioned by investigators. Some of them are from Sumbawa, West Sumbawa, East Lombok, Central Lombok, West Lombok, Mataram," said Mataram Police Chief Kombes Mustofa as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 24.

He revealed that the examination of MSME actors in the case had not yet been completed, so there were still those who were included in the series of investigator examinations.

"Yes, there are 105 MSME actors involved. So, the investigation around MSMEs is still ongoing," said Mustofa.

According to him, the examination of witnesses has not yet led to government agency officials.

Regarding state losses, Mustofa said investigators were still waiting for the results of an audit from the NTB Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

"Coordination and provision of supporting data in calculating state losses are still ongoing," he added.

Pada tahap penyelidikan kasus tersebut, Wakil Bupati Sumbawa Dewi Noviany pernah mendatangi Polresta Mataram, memenuhi perintah polisi untuk memberikan keterangan pada tanggal 14 Agustus 2023.

When the project rolled out through the NTB Small and Medium Enterprises Cooperative Service, Dewi Noviany was recorded as still holding the position of head of sub-section at the NTB Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD).

The procurement of COVID-19 masks for the 2020-2021 period uses NTB APBD funds worth IDR 12.3 billion. The government prepared the funds from the results of the refocusing budget policy during the pandemic.

The Mataram Police have also started carrying out an investigation since January 2023. The handling of the case entered an investigation in mid-September 2023 based on findings of indications of unlawful acts that led to criminal acts of corruption.