KPK: The Refund Of Corruption Money For Regent Pati Sudewo Does Not Remove Crimes

Pati Regent, Sudewo (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Regent Pati Sudewo had returned the money he received related to the alleged bribery in the construction of the railway line at the Director General of Railways (DJKA) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub). However, this return does not mean that he is forgiven.

"It's true, as stated at the trial, it has been returned," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, quoted on Friday, August 14.

Asep said Article 4 of the Anti-Corruption Law said that the refund did not erase the crime that had been committed. Meanwhile, Sudewo is suspected of having participated in receiving a commitment fee in this case and it was revealed at the trial in November 2023.

Furthermore, the KPK said that Sudewo was suspected of playing DJKA projects in a number of areas. "The role is not only in Solo Balapan-Kadipiro," said Asep, who is also the Director of KPK Investigations.

"So we are still waiting because this must be complete. So the person concerned (Sudewo, ed) is not only in that project, so in almost all projects there is a role," he continued.

Previously reported, the KPK will summon the Regent Pati Sudewo to be summoned regarding the alleged bribery for the construction of the railway line at DJKA. This summons relates to the receipt of fees made.

"If information is needed from the person concerned, a summons will be made for questioning," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Wednesday, August 13.

Budi also agreed that Sudewo was suspected of being one of the parties who received the commitment fee.

"It's true, SDW (Sudewo) brother is one of the parties suspected of receiving a flow of commitment fees related to the railway line construction project that we conveyed yesterday related to the detention update of one of the suspects, brother R (Risna Sutriyanto)," he said.

"Of course, from this information, investigators will explore and of course later we will update the investigation process related to the SDW brothers," continued Budi.

As for the trial of the DJKA bribery case, the KPK confiscated around Rp. 3 billion from Sudewo, who had served as a member of the DPR. This fact was revealed when he was present at the Semarang Corruption Court.

During the trial, initially the public prosecutor showed evidence in the form of photos of cash in rupiah denominations and foreign currencies confiscated from Sudewo's house.

However, recently he denied the money from the DJKA bribery case. Sudewo admitted that the investigators' findings were salaries and business results.

Sudewo in the trial also denied having received money for the railway line construction project between Solo Balapan-Kalioso Station which was carried out by PT Istana Putra Agung. The prosecutor's indictment was also denied regarding the receipt of Rp720 million in cash which was handed over by the company's employees.