East Kolaka Regent Andi Merya Holds Corruption Case Trial At Kendari District Court

Regent of East Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi, inactive Andi Merya Nur undergoes his first trial at the Kendari Corruption Crime District Court. PHOTO VIA ANTARA

KENDARI - Regent of East Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi, inactive Andi Merya Nur underwent his first trial at the Corruption Crime District Court (Tipikor) Kendari.

Reported by Antara, the inactive regent entered the Cakra courtroom at the Tipikor Kendari District Court on Jalan Mayjen Sutoyo, Tipulu Village, West Kendari District, Kendari City at around 11.10 WITA, Tuesday, January 25.

The inaugural trial of the inactive East Kolaka Regent Andi Merya was chaired directly by the Chief Justice Ronald Salnofri Bya and was closely guarded by personnel from the Brimob Unit of the Southeast Sulawesi Police who remained at the door of the courtroom.

The inactive East Kolaka Regent attended the trial wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, black pants, brown hijab, black shoes and a white mask.

Andi Merya attended the inaugural trial at the Tipikor Kendari District Court accompanied by a lawyer.

Andi Merya's inaugural trial was conducted openly, family and relatives also witnessed the trial with the agenda of reading the indictment by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Prosecutor Team.

Andi Merya is a defendant in a corruption case in the procurement of goods/services within the East Kolaka Regency Government, Southeast Sulawesi, Fiscal Year 2021.

After being arrested and later named a suspect by the KPK, Andi Merya was detained at the KPK Detention Center at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta.

The KPK has named Andi Merya along with the Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of East Kolaka Regency, Anzarullah, as suspects.

In the construction of the case, the KPK explained that in March-August 2021, Andi Merya and Anzarullah prepared a proposal for BNPB grant funds in the form of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund (RR) and the Ready-to-Use Fund (DSP).

Then in early September 2021, Andi Merya and Anzarullah came to the Central BNPB in Jakarta to deliver a presentation related to the application for logistics and equipment grants. The East Kolaka Regency Government received BNPB grants, namely the Relocation and Reconstruction Fund grants worth Rp. 26.9 billion and the Ready-to-Use Funds grants worth Rp. 12.1 billion.

As a follow-up to the presentation, Anzarullah then asked Andi Merya that several physical work projects sourced from the BNPB grant funds would later be carried out by Anzarullah's confidants and other parties who helped arrange for the grant funds to be disbursed to the East Kolaka Regency Government.

There is also a special spending package for consulting services for planning a bridge work for two units in Ueesi District worth Rp. 714 million and spending on consulting services for planning the construction of 100 housing units in Uluiwoi District worth Rp. 175 million will be carried out by Anzarullah.

Andi Merya agreed to Anzarullah's request and agreed to give Andi Merya a "fee" of 30 percent.

The KPK suspects that Andi Merya asked for Rp250 million for the two work projects that Anzarullah will get.

Anzarullah had previously handed over Rp25 million to Andi Merya and the remaining Rp225 million was agreed to be handed over at Andi Merya's private house in Kendari. The rest of the Rp225 million was secured by the KPK during an arrest operation (OTT) against Andi Merya and his friends.