Kaleidoscope 2021: Investigator Accepts Bribery And Deputy Chair Gets Severe Sanction For Violation Of Ethics

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has often been in the spotlight of the public throughout 2021. One of them was when one of their investigators, Stepanus Robin Pattuju, who came from the National Police, turned out to have received bribes from a number of litigants.

In addition, the Deputy Chairperson of the KPK, Lili Pintauli Siregar, was also given a severe sanction in the form of a salary cut by the KPK Supervisory Board. The reason is that he was proven to have direct contact with the party whose case is being handled by the anti-corruption commission and abused his position for personal gain.

Stepanus Robin Pattuju was named a suspect on Saturday, April 24 this year with the Mayor of Tanjungbalai M Syahrial and an advocate, Maskur Husain. This determination relates to the alleged bribery given by Syahrial to secure himself in the case of buying and selling positions in the Tanjungbalai City Government.

In that case, Stepanus received Rp1.695 billion from Syahrial. However, the acceptance that Stepanus and Maskur made with the lure of securing the case had already been made several times.

It was recorded that both of them received money totaling Rp. 11,025,077,000 and 36 thousand US dollars from a number of parties. Including the Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Parliament, Azis Syamsuddin, who is now a defendant and has been removed from his position.

Azis and former General Chairperson of the PP Youth Forces of the Golkar Party (AMPG) Aliza Gunado are suspected of giving money to Stepanus amounting to Rp3.09 billion and US$36 thousand. The KPK suspects that the gift was made so that the alleged corruption in the management of the Central Lampung Special Allocation Fund (DAK) which ensnared the two could be secured by Stepanus.

Next, Stepanus is suspected of receiving Rp507.39 million from the inactive Mayor of Cimahi Ajay Muhammad Priatna. This money relates to the case of receiving gratuities from the Bunda Hospital in Cimahi, West Java.

Fourth, Stepanus is suspected of having received Rp525 million from the President Director of PT Tenjo Jaya Usman Effendi. Finally, he is suspected of receiving Rp5.17 billion in money from the former Kutai Kartanegara Regent, Rita Widyasari, who was involved in gratification and money laundering cases at the KPK.

Regarding the latest developments, Stepanus and Maskur Husain are currently undergoing trial and are waiting for the verdict of the Corruption Court Judge. Not only that, Stepanus also volunteered as a witness to cooperate or a justice collaborator to uncover other more powerful actors.

The bribery case for handling alleged corruption also dragged the name of the Deputy Chairperson of the KPK, Lili Pintauli, to the imposition of severe sanctions by the KPK Supervisory Board.

Initially, Lili's name was said to be communicating with Syahrial who had bribed Stepanus. Although this news was widely heard, the former Deputy Chairperson of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) denied communicating with litigants including Syahrial.

If any communication is made, he said, it will only be limited to discussing corruption prevention, not discussing specific cases. However, it turns out that Lili's rebuttal is not in accordance with the decision of the KPK Supervisory Board.

Some time ago, the KPK Council found Lili guilty of violating the code of ethics for contacting Syahrial, who at that time was still serving as the Mayor of Tanjungbalai and the case was being investigated. The introduction of the two took place on the plane to Jakarta from Medan.

"Punishing the examinee with a severe sanction in the form of a 40 percent reduction in basic salary for 12 months," said Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission, while reading the verdict.

Dewas stated that Lili violated Article 4 paragraph (2) letters b and a in Dewas Regulation Number 02 of 2020 concerning Enforcement of the Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct. Not only that, he was also stated to have used his position for his personal interests to help with the affairs of his sister-in-law, Ruri Prihartini Lubis.

Ruri, who is an employee at the Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM) Tirta Kualo Tanjungbalai, is having problems. So, Lili once asked Syahrial for help to solve the staffing problem.

Even though she was found guilty of violating ethics, Lili did not once show her remorse. He is also still actively giving speeches at prevention events carried out by the KPK outside the city and even representing the anti-corruption commission in international events some time ago.