Prosecutors Name Former High School Principal In Palembang Suspects Of Corruption In School Development Projects

The team of investigating prosecutors at the Palembang District Attorney's Office, South Sumatra has named the former Head and Chairman of the State High School Committee (SMA) in the local city as suspects in the alleged corruption case of school development funds totaling Rp358 million.

Head of the Intelligence Section of the Palembang District Attorney's Office, Fandie Hasibuan, said the suspects had the initials SL, former Head of SMA Negeri 19 Palembang and AR, former Chairman of the Palembang State High School Committee 19.

The determination of the status of suspects to SL and AR was announced on Thursday afternoon, after the Palembang District Attorney's team of investigating prosecutors received the adequacy of evidence which was confirmed by 24 witnesses and experts.

The evidence includes the banking account book of the Palembang 19 SMA Negeri Committee.

Then, several debt-receivable notes documents, routine expenses, inventory recaps, and invitations to the guardians of class X, XI, XII (25 classes) issued by the former Head and Chairman of the Palembang State High School Committee.

"The evidence obtained by investigators is quite strong in explaining the actions of the suspects," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, July 20.

Fandie stated that the two suspects were suspected of jointly committing irregularities in the management and utilization of committee funds for the construction of SMA Negeri 19 Palembang for the period 2021 to 2022.

Based on expert calculations in the investigation process, it was reported that the actions of the suspects during this period had caused state financial losses totaling Rp358 million.

The prosecutor's team charged the SL and AR suspects with violating Article 2 paragraph (1) and Article 3, Juncto Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 2019 as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption, Juncto Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st Juncto Article 65 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.

The deviations allegedly committed by the suspects also contradicted the Regulation of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, number 75 of 2017, regarding school committee funds.