Attorney General's Office Detains Former Head Of Manokwari Bulog , Suspected Of Rp. 40 Billion Of Fictitious Rice Corruption

MANOKWARI - The West Papua High Prosecutor's Office has arrested Rahmat Hidayat, the former head of Perum Bulog, the Manokwari sub-division. Rahmat is a suspect in a case of alleged corruption in the procurement of fictitious rice worth Rp. 40 billion.

Special criminal assistant for the West Papua Attorney General's Office Syafiruddin said the detention of Rahmat Hidayat alias RH was carried out based on the Determination of the Suspect Number Print-68/R.2/Fd.1/03/2021, March 22, 2021.

"RH examination for three hours at the West Papua Attorney General's office, then determined as a suspect to further undergo detention for 20 days at the Penitentiary Class II B Manokwari," said Syafiruddin as quoted by Antara, Monday, March 22.

He explained that RH previously served as head of Perum Bulog, a sub-division of Manokwari from April 2018 to September 2019. At that time, Rahmat was suspected of having committed a criminal act of corruption in the procurement of fictitious rice in two Manokwari Bulog rice warehouses.

"RH is not alone, he is suspected of having jointly benefited from committing this criminal act of corruption. A number of other names are still being examined as witnesses including the initials EFG, NH, FR, M, and HS," said Syafiruddin.

Between 25 April 2018 and 26 September 2019 at the West Manokwari New Bulog Warehouse (GBB) and East Manokwari Bulog Warehouse (GBL) Manokwari Branch Office for Papua and West Papua, it is suspected that irregularities have occurred in the procurement of rice in the Manokwari sub-division procurement work unit.

The irregularity occurred when the suspect Rahmat was the head of Bulog, the Manokwari sub-division in 2018.

The suspect Rahmat ordered witnesses EFG, NH, and FR as the head of the 2018/2019 procurement work unit together with witnesses M and HS as the head of the warehouse to engineer administrative documents for the responsibility for procuring rice to match the Work Order or SPK.

"However, the realization of the rice procurement budget from March 2018 to September 2019 amounting to Rp. 40,077,615,900.00 was never received by the regional sub-division procurement work unit or the Manokwari sub-division, but was disbursed and controlled by RH suspect," he said.

The budget for the procurement of rice illegally controlled by the suspect Ramat, amounting to Rp. 40 billion, should be used for the purchase of rice in the amount (quantum) in accordance with the Wok Order of 4,734,530 kg.

However, continued Syafiruddin, when the calculation of rice stocktaking and the audit of the Internal Supervisory Unit (SPI) Team of Perum Buloh, there was a lack of volume of rice that should have been purchased according to the SPK with a value of Rp. 9 billion.

"That the actions of RH suspect together with EFG, NH, FR, M, and HS have caused state financial losses amounting to Rp. 9,032,293,567," said Syafiruddin.

The article of suspicion applied to the primary suspect is article 2 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 3 of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 Jo Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.