Suspect Of Corruption In Disaster Funds Of Rp. 1.7 Billion Remains Active In Bogor Regency Government

Acting (Plt) Bogor Regent, Iwan Setiawan in Cibinong, Bogor Regency, West Java, Friday (29/7/2022). (ANTARA/M Fikri Setiawan)

BOGOR - Suspect of corruption in disaster aid funds worth Rp. 1.7 billion, Sumardi, remains active in the Bogor Regency Government, West Java, as Secretary of the Trade and Industry Office (Disdagin).

"We put forward the principle of presumption of innocence. I have discussed this with the Inspectorate and BKPSDM (Office of Personnel and Human Resources Development) this morning regarding this," said Acting Bogor Regent Iwan Setiawan in Cibinong, Bogor reported by ANTARA, Friday, 29 July.

According to him, the Bogor Regency Government cannot disable Sumardi from his position, because the local District Attorney's Office (Kejari) has not made an arrest even though it has determined the status of a suspect.

"So this is still ongoing (actively serving) his official activities as Secretary of Education at Disdagin, so we cannot appoint, cannot temporarily suspend, unless detained. This has not been detained," he explained.

Iwan also regretted the state loss of IDR 1.7 billion from the alleged misappropriation of emergency aid funds sourced from the Unexpected Expenditure (BTT) for the 2017 Fiscal Year.

"Don't play with BTT. Because BTT is intended for people who are affected by disasters, poor people, people who are affected by disasters, it's time for us to take advantage of people who are affected by disasters. It must be the law of karma," said Iwan.

Head of Intel's Head of the Bogor District Attorney's Office, Juanda, said that his party did not make any arrests because they would first call the suspect.

"We will examine the person concerned as a suspect. Later the investigator will make a summons to the person concerned. Next we will take steps to complete the case file," explained Juanda.

Previously, the Bogor District Attorney's Office named Sumardi along with another person with the initials SS who was a contract employee at the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in 2011-2018 as suspects on Thursday, July 28, 2022.

Sumardi, who is the former Head of Emergency and Logistics (Ratik) of BPBD together with SS, is considered to have misappropriated funds worth Rp. 1.7 billion for disaster assistance sourced from BTT for the 2017 fiscal year.

The Rp1.7 billion aid fund should have been distributed by the Bogor Regency BDBD to the community in three sub-districts, namely Cisarua, Tenjolaya and Jasinga. However, the results of the Kejari's examination of the witnesses showed that the aid was not distributed.