Extortion Of Market Kios Rental Involves Mataram Disdag, Police Open The Opportunities Of Other Suspects

Illustration of corruption cases. (Antaranews)

MATARAM - Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Mataram City Police are investigating a case of illegal levies on the rental of market kiosks.

Head of the Satreskrim Polresta Mataram Police Commissioner Kadek Adi Budi Astawa explained that the investigation of this case was based on the statement of suspect AK who was arrested red-handed on Friday, October 7.

"To investigators, the AK suspect admitted that extortion activities (illegal levies) were not only carried out by him," said Kadek Adi in Mataram, NTB, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, October 12.

Regarding who this person was, Kadek Adi was reluctant to say. However, he ensured that the investigation into the arrest case of suspect AK would continue to grow to map the role of others.

"If there are indeed clues or evidence that leads to the role of other people, of course we will explore it," he said.

In tracing the role of others, he continued, investigators also examined the confiscated files from the results of a search at the Mataram City Trade Office (Disdag).

"Later, we will study the files that we confiscated. Wherever the flow of the rental money goes and whether it is in accordance with existing regulations, that is our development material as well," he said.

The suspect AK was caught by the Mataram Police Satreskrim Team at the Mataram City Trade Office on Friday, October 7.

Pihak kepolisian menangkap AK ketika menerima pembayaran sewa kiosk di Pasar Ampenan dari seorang pedagang berinisial M. Barang bukti yang disitas berupa uang Rp30 juta.

In addition to arresting AK and M, the police in active arrests arrested a market head who also witnessed the handover at the location. The police also arrested an official from the Mataram City Trade Office with the initials MS.

During the interrogation at the location, AK admitted that he had withdrawn the kiosk rental money at Ampenan Market to traders M. In fact, prior to the arrest, AK also received a deposit from other traders with a value of Rp. 15 million.

Thus, from the arrests, the police confiscated Rp45 million in cash along with a note that was proof of payment for the kiosk rental. In the payment memorandum, AK forged the signature of the treasurer.

Regarding the role of three other people who were arrested along with AK at the arrest location, Kadek Adi confirmed that they were still witnesses.

Their statements were also investigated by investigators along with other witnesses, both from the Mataram City Trade Office and other relevant agencies.

"For this issue, we are also coordinating with other agencies, one of which is from the BKD (regional financial agency)," he said.