Bribery Of Ex-Minister Of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara, KPK Checks 2 Witnesses Adhie Widhartho And Suwandhi

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned 2 witnesses in the bribery case for the provision of social assistance (bansos) COVID-19 in Jabodetabek. The two of them were examined as witnesses to complete the case files of former Social Minister Juliari Batubara who was the suspect who received bribes in this case.

"The Director of PT Galasari Agro Niaga Sejahtera, Adhie Widhartho and a private company named Suwandhi are being examined as witnesses for the suspect JPB (Juliari Peter Batubara)," said Acting KPK spokesman for prosecution Ali Fikri in a written statement, Friday, March 5.

Not yet known the examination material of the two. However, they are suspected of knowing about the bribery case that ensnared Juliari and a number of people in the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Previously reported, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Greater Jakarta area, including former Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

Apart from Juliari, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as the recipient of the bribe and AIM and HS as the giver of the bribe.

This case began when Juliari appointed two commitment-making officials (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi to carry out this project by directly appointing partners. The KPK suspects that it was agreed that there was a fee from the work package that partners had to pay to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

As for the fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package that Matheus and Adi agreed to, it was IDR 10,000 from a value of IDR 300 thousand.

Matheus and Adi then made work contracts with several suppliers as partners for providing social assistance in May-November 2020. The partners chosen were AIM, HS, and PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia alias PT RPI which allegedly belonged to Matheus and whose appointment was known to Juliari.

In the first phase of the distribution of social assistance, a fee of Rp 12 billion was allegedly received. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi which was then used to meet personal needs.

In this silent operation, the KPK also confiscated evidence in the form of money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.