Lili Pintauli Leads Press Meeting Determination Of Former South Buru Regent As Suspect Of Bribery And Money Laundering

Photo via Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named former South Buru Regent Tagop Sudarsono as a suspect in bribery, gratuities and money laundering cases.

This determination relates to the procurement of goods and services in South Buru Regency, Maluku from 2011 to 2016.

"KPK conducted an investigation and raised the status of this case to the investigation stage by announcing the suspect TSS (Tagop Sudarsono Soullsa), the Regent of South Buru Regency for the period 2011 to 2016 and the period 2016 to 2021," said KPK Deputy Chair Lili Pintauli Siregar at a press conference held aired on the KPK RI YouTube, Wednesday, January 26.

In addition to determining Tagop, the KPK has also determined two private parties, namely Johny Rynhard Kasman and Ivana Kwelju.

In this case, Lili said that since the beginning of his tenure, Tagop was suspected of paying more attention to various projects at the South Buru PUPR Service. In fact, he even specifically invited the Head of Service and Head of Highways to find out the list and budget value of each project work package.

After receiving this information, Tagop then recommends and unilaterally decides which partners can be won to work on the project. This process, continued Lili, was carried out through an auction process or direct appointment.

The projects consist of road construction within Namrole City in 2015 with a project value of IDR 3.1 billion; road improvement in Namrole City with a project value of Rp. 14.2 billion; improvement of the Wamsisi-Sp Namrole Modan Mohe (hotmix) road segment with a project value of Rp. 14.2 billion; and improvement of the Waemulang-Biloro toll road with a project value of IDR 21.4 billion.

"From the determination of these partners, it is suspected that the TSS suspect asked for a sum of money in the form of a fee with a value of seven percent to 10 percent of the value of the work contract," he said.

"It is suspected that the value of the fee received by the TSS suspect was around Rp. 10 billion, of which suspect IK was given because he was chosen to work on one of the work projects whose budget was sourced from 2015 DAK funds," added Lili.

The receipt of the money, said the KPK, was not directly received by Tagop, but through his confidant, Johny Rynhard Kasman.

After receiving the Rp10 billion, Tagop then bought assets and used the name of another party. Thus, the origin of the money can be disguised. After being named suspects, Tagop and Rynhard were detained at the KPK Detention Center for 20 days starting from January 26 to February 14.

While Ivana has not been arrested and asked to come for a summons that will be carried out in the near future.

For their actions, Tagop and Rynhard as suspected recipients were suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or Article 12 letter b or Article 11 and Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to the Law. Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of the Crime of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code and Article 3 and or 4 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Money Laundering.

Meanwhile, Ivana as a bribe giver is suspected of violating Article 5 paragraph (1) letter a or b or Article 13 of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication Corruption Crime.