Investigating Allegations Of Corruption In Non-Cash Food Aid, Kejari Mukomuko Examines 65 Witnesses, Including Users Of The Ministry Of Social's BPNT Budget

Chief of Mukomuko District Attorney Rudi Iskandar (ANTARA)

BENGKULU - The Mukomuko District Attorney (Kejari) of Bengkulu Province has examined as many as 65 witnesses related to allegations of corruption in the non-cash food aid (BPNT) budget for the 2019-2021 Fiscal Year.

"In investigating the BPNT social assistance case, we have examined 65 witnesses and have confiscated documents that are considered important for evidence," said Head of the Special Crimes Section (Kasi Pidsus) of the Mukomuko Kejari, Andi Setiawan in a statement at Mukomuko, Antara, Tuesday, February 15.

Kejari Mukomuko will again examine several witnesses, including users of the BPNT budget at the Ministry of Social Affairs.

In investigating this case, the Kejari Mukomuko will also coordinate with the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) regarding state losses caused by the alleged corruption in the BPNT budget.

The determination of the suspect in the case, he continued, will be determined after the calculation of state losses due to the alleged corruption has been completed.

The Mukomuko Prosecutor's Office investigated allegations of corruption in the distribution of BPNT over a period of two years, from September 2019 to September 2021, with a nominal disbursement of IDR 40 billion.

In the distribution of BPNT for two years, Kejari Mukomuko suspected that there was a game by several parties who had the authority to gain personal gain.

The party related to the BPNT Social Assistance is suspected of acting as a supplier of necessities to the e-warung; then the items such as rice, eggs and others were distributed to the BPNT social assistance recipients in Mukomuko.

In the Regulation of the Minister of Social Affairs (Permensos) Number 20 of 2019 in Article 39 paragraph (1) it is stated that social assistants are prohibited from forming e-warung, becoming suppliers of goods and receiving compensation, either in money or in kind, related to the distribution of BPNT.

Meanwhile, in that case, he said, there were indications that a game had violated the Social Minister's Regulation. "State losses arise from the parties' profits from supplying goods for BPNT's needs, which in fact they are prohibited from supplying these goods," he said.