Revealed, Defendant in KPK Prison Extortion Case Received IDR 70 Million at Mosques and Visiting Places

JAKARTA - Muhammad Ridwan revealed that he had received IDR 70 million from prisoners at the KPK Branch Detention Center mosque.

This was conveyed by Ridwan during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Monday, November 11.

Initially, Ridwan, who has the status of a defendant, was asked to explain about receiving money from prisoners. The KPK Branch Detention Center officer said that the money was given in the form of cash.

"Where was the cash handed over?" asked the prosecutor to Ridwan who was presented as a witness.

"It could be at the mosque, sir. In Guntur (Pomdam Jaya Guntur Detention Center, ed.) there is a tent for visiting or at the mosque," he answered.

Ridwan explained that he received the money from a discount or prisoners who were assigned to collect it.

Handing over at the mosque or visiting place is commonplace so it is not strange. "It has happened like that before, sir prosecutor," said Ridwan.

"Where was it handed over?" asked the prosecutor.

"Inside the Detention Center environment," continued Ridwan.

"Who handed it over to you?"

"Immediately discounted," Ridwan explained.

"Zainal Mus first, sir," he continued.

The Zainal Mus in question is the former Regent of Banggai Kepulauan who was sentenced for a corruption case that cost the state up to IDR 3.4 billion.

Ridwan said there were 60 people who received money from a number of corruption case prisoners. "Including security and order officers and coordinators," said Ridwan.

As previously reported, 15 former KPK employees were charged with extorting a number of corruption case prisoners. The charges against them were divided into two.

The first volume is for the former Head of the KPK Detention Center Branch Achmad Fauzi; Hengki as ASN/Coordinator of Security and Order (Kamtib) of the KPK Detention Center for the 2018-2022 period; Civil Servants Employed (PNYD) as Security Officers on behalf of Deden Rochendi, Sopian Hadi, Ristanta (also served as Acting Head of KPK Prison in 2021).

Then PNYD who was assigned as KPK Prison Branch Officer on behalf of Ari Rahman Hakim, Erlangga Permana, and l Agung Nugroho.

While the second indictment with the defendants KPK Prison Branch Officers on behalf of Muhammad Ridwan, Suharlan, Ramadhan Ubaidillah A, Mahdi Aris, Wardoyo, Muhammad Abduh, and Ricky Rachmawanto.

They were charged with Article 12 letter e of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code. The total amount of money received by the defendants was around IDR 6.3 billion.