BPK Auditor Denies Accepting Money From Defendant In Nurdin Abdullah's Bribery Case

MAKASSAR - Auditor of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) Representative of South Sulawesi, Gilang Gumilang, denied receiving or being entrusted with money amounting to Rp. 2.8 billion from Edy Rahmat, accused of bribery and gratification of the inactive South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah.

The Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) M Asri said, presenting Gilang Gumilang because of several trials on the defendant Agung Sucipto and when questioned at the KPK, Edy Rahmat also mentioned the name of the witness.

"It is very important to hear the testimony of witness Gilang because his name has been mentioned several times for receiving money from the defendant," he said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, October 13.

Gilang Gumilang told the panel of judges and the public prosecutor that he was assigned to the South Sulawesi Representative Office as a Public Relations Officer, but also became an auditor after being appointed by his leadership.

"I transferred from the Central BPK to the South Sulawesi Representative BPK in 2017. Almost all members of the BPK are auditors, even if they are placed in public relations or otherwise," he said.

Gilang, who answered the public prosecutor's question, M Asri, admitted that he had known the former Secretary of the South Sulawesi Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUTR) Edy Rahmat since 2020.

He even met Edy Rahmat at the Teras Kita Cafe, Teras Kita Hotel, which is located next to the South Sulawesi BPK Office, also not far from the BPK employee dormitory.

"I got to know him when there was an audit visit outside the region, that was also when I was introduced and exchanged numbers. In December 2020 I met accidentally at Teras Kita and it was only for about 10-15 minutes," he said answering the prosecutor's question.

Even Judge Ibrahim Palino also interrupted to convey what the purpose of the meeting was and on whose initiative the meeting took place at the hotel.

"At that time, there was a call from Mr. Edy in the afternoon but because I didn't pick up and just called at night. I met him at Teras Kita," he said.

Gilang, who continues to be questioned, stated that he met the defendant Edy Rahmat because of his position as a Public Relations Officer at the BPK.

"He (Edy) asked for input if there were findings (the audit) and I conveyed that if there were findings, they must be returned to the regional treasury," he explained.

Edy's submission is related to the audit plan that will be carried out by BPK regarding the evaluation of budget use within the South Sulawesi Provincial Government. This includes the infrastructure development budget.

"Because I knew that Pak Edy was still an official at the PUTR Service," explained Gilang.

The defendant Edy Rahmat, who heard Gilang's testimony, then denied all the information and admitted that Gilang had lied.

"Pak Gilang has already been sworn in. In December 2020 I met him, he called me. When he met him, he said that the BPK would enter the investigation at the provincial government. Who knows there are contractors who want to participate. The value is 1 percent to be used to pay for findings," said Edy Rahmat when given the opportunity by the Chairman of the Panel of Judges, Ibrahim Palino, responded to Gilang Gumilang's statement.

Edy Rahmat admitted that he would not survive the world and the hereafter if his statement that said Gilang received money from him was not true.

Edy emphasized that in December 2020 he was called by Gilang to meet at the Teras Kita Cafe, Teras Kita Hotel which is next to the South Sulawesi BPK Office.

"He (Gilang) called, he said at that time who knew there was a contractor who wanted to participate 1 percent," he said answering the panel of judges' questions.

He revealed that before meeting with Gilang, there was a submission regarding a one percent "fee" from the contractor. After the meeting in early January 2021, he also admitted that he had collected Rp3.2 billion from contractors.

However, he only handed over IDR 2.8 billion to Gilang because 10 percent of the value or around IDR 320 million belongs to him. Edy admitted that he gave the money to the dormitory where Gilang lived, exactly behind the South Sulawesi BPK office.

"The dormitory is located behind the South Sulawesi BPK office, Jalan AP Pettarani. That was before he checked at the Makassar City Government. So it's not true that it was a meeting after he checked," said Edy.