The East Nusa Tenggara Prosecutor's Office Has Just Arrested 1 Suspect In The COVID-19 Budget Corruption

Head of the Legal Information and Public Relations Section of the East Nusa Tenggara Province High Prosecutor's Office, Abdul Hakim. ANTARA/Benny Suwang

KUPANG - Investigators of corruption at the East Flores District Attorney's Office of East Nusa Tenggara Province will examine two suspects in the corruption case in the management of the budget for the acceleration of handling the COVID-19 FY 2020 which cost the state more than IDR 1.5 billion.

"Investigators of corruption crimes at the East Nusa Tenggara District Attorney's Office have scheduled an examination of two suspects, including the East Flores Regional Secretary, namely PIG", said the Head of the Legal Information and Public Relations Section of the NTT Provincial High Prosecutor's Office, Abdul Hakim, in Kupang, Antara, Friday, September 16.

In the case of corruption in the management of the budget for the acceleration of the handling of COVID-19 FY 2020 in East Flores Regency, the Attorney General's Office investigators have named three suspects.

Each of the East Flores PIG Regional Secretary, the Head of the East Flores Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) AHB, and the Expenditure Treasurer for the East Flores Regency BPBD Office.

So far, only one suspect has been detained, namely the Head of the East Flores Regency BPBD, AHB.

Meanwhile, the two suspects have not been detained because when they were called for questioning by investigators, the two suspects did not come. Investigators have scheduled an examination of the two suspects on Thursday, September 22 next week.

If in the process of investigating the corruption case in the handling of COVID-19, it is found that there was the involvement of another party, then of course they will also be named as suspects.

"If there are private parties involved, they will definitely be investigated and if there is sufficient evidence, they will also be named as suspects", said Abdul Hakim.

The case of alleged corruption of COVID-19 funds in East Flores Regency began when there was a refocusing of activities and budget reallocations to accelerate the handling of COVID-19.

The Office of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of East Flores Regency received an unexpected budget allocation of IDR 6.5 billion for disaster emergency management.

However, the accountability report is not supported by evidence according to the applicable rules in the report on the use of funds for handling COVID-19.