Acting Regent to the Head of the Pati Regency KPU Called by the KPK in Connection with the Ransom of the Village Apparatus Candidate

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned 12 witnesses related to the alleged extortion of village device filling in the Pati Regency area which ensnared the non-active Pati Regent Sudewa or Sudewo today. One of those called was the Acting Regent of Pati, Risma Ardhi Chandra.

"The examination was carried out at the Semarang Police Headquarters," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters, Tuesday, February 24.

Apart from the Acting Regent of Pati, the KPK also summoned Riyoso as the former Acting Regional Secretary and former Head of the Pati Regency PUPR; Ali Badrudin as a Member of the Pati Regency DPRD; P Supriyanto as the Head of the Pati Regency KPU; Sugiyono as the Head of the Pati Regency Information and Communication Technology;

Then Teguh Widyatmoko, Regional Secretary of Pati Regency; Head of PBJ Kab. Pati Sutikno; Head of Baleadi Suhardi (Ka paguyuban Desa Kec. Sukolilo); Head of Gadu Kec. Gunungwungkal Kab. Pati Imam Sholikin; and Subur Prabowo as Chairman of Koperasi/KSPPS Artha Bahana Syariah.

Budi did not specify their presence and the material that would be investigated. The dozen witnesses were only said to be questioned regarding the case that ensnared Sudewo.

"KPK has scheduled an examination of witnesses in the alleged corruption and extortion case in the Pati Regency Government," he said.

As previously reported, the KPK named Sudewo as the Regent of Pati as a suspect in alleged extortion of filling village apparatus positions with Abdul Suyono (YON) as the Karangrowo Kades, Jakenan District; Sumarjiono (JION) as the Arumanis Kades, Jakenan District; and Karjan (JAN) as the Sukorukun Kades, Jakenan District.

Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, said that the tariff of Rp. 165-225 million must be paid by the prospective village apparatus (caperdes). This figure is said to have been marked up by Abdul Suyono and Sumarjiono from Rp. 125-150 million.

There was also a threat, namely that the village apparatus formation would not be reopened the following year if the caperdes did not want to hand over the money.

During the silent operation, the KPK then secured Rp2.6 billion which had previously been stored in sacks.

As a result of his actions, Sudewo and his colleagues were suspected of violating Article 12 letter e of Law No. 31 of 1999 as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 jo Article 20 letter c of the Criminal Code.