3 Suspects In The 2019 DPRD Fictitious Service Case Detained By West Sumatra District Attorney's Office

SIMPANG EMPAT - The West Pasaman District Attorney (Kejari) has named five former members of the West Pasaman DPRD, West Sumatra, as suspects. Three of them were immediately arrested in connection with the alleged fraudulent travel irregularities case for the 2019 fiscal year.

The Head of the West Pasaman District Attorney's Office, Ginanjar Cahya Permana, accompanied by the Head of the Intelligence Section, Elianto and the Head of the Special Crimes Section, Andy Suryadi, said the five suspects were former members of the DPRD for the 2014-2019 period.

The five suspects are JD, ES, FDM, AT and IS. The suspects JD, ES and FDM were immediately arrested, while the suspect AT was out of town and the suspect IS was sick.

"The two suspects who have not been detained in the near future will be immediately called as suspects," he said at Simpang Empat, West Pasaman, West Sumatra, quoted by Antara, Friday, October 29.

According to him, the suspects were suspected of committing acts of corruption in the official travel budget of the West Pasaman DPRD secretary in 2019 with an absorbed budget of around Rp. 27,165,361,405 (approximately Rp. 27 billion) of the total budget of Rp. 32,015,823,405 (approximately Rp. 32 billion).

"The state loss due to the suspect's actions is around Rp. 650 million," he said.

He said the detention of the suspect was carried out after the investigation team found evidence of alleged corruption and from the statements of witnesses.

"We have examined more than 30 witnesses and with documentary evidence. This is just the initial stage and will continue to be developed, it is not closed that there will be new suspects later," he said.

The three suspects who were temporarily detained will be placed in the custody of the West Pasaman Police before being transferred to the Corruption Court in Padang City.

The suspects were subject to Article 2 paragraph 1 sub-Article 3 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 31 of 1999 which was changed to Indonesian Law Number 20 of 2021 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes.

The suspect has returned the state losses after the investigation process and has been deposited into the regional treasury.

"We will continue to develop this case process and by calling witnesses again," he said.