4 Riau Bengkalis Civil Servants Suspected Of Corruption In 2020 Pilkada Grant Funds Detained

Photo via Antara.

RIAU - Police detained four civil servants in Bengkalis Regency after being named suspects in the alleged corruption case at the Bengkalis KPU, Riau Province. They were detained at the Bengkalis Police Headquarters, Tuesday, May 9.

The four suspects are Puji Hartono as the power user of the budget (KPA), Candra Gunawan as the treasurer of expenditure, Muhammad Soleh as the official signing of the payment order (PPSPM), and Hendra Rianda as the official commitment maker (PPK).

Bengkalis Police Chief AKBP Setyo Bimo Anggoro said the results of the audit of the state financial calculation by the KPU inspectorate stated that the state losses from the alleged corruption reached Rp4.5 billion.

He explained that the disclosure of the alleged corruption was related to the management of the Bengkalis Regent and Deputy Regent's election grant in 2020 to the Bengkalis KPU which was disbursed from the Bengkalis Regency Government worth Rp40 billion sourced from the 2019-2020 APBD.

The evidence from the case is in the form of accountability for the use of the budget (SPJ) from November 2019 to April 2021. Then the General Cash Book (BKU) of the Bengkalis Regency KPU, the plan for spending needs to change December 1, 2020, the work order document (SPK), the Bengkalis Regency KPU Decree on working groups.

Furthermore, the Bengkalis KPU Secretary Decree regarding financial managers, the Indonesian KPU's decision regarding the appointment of the chairman and members of the Bengkalis Regency KPU.

Then the text of the regional grant agreement (NPHD) and the NPHD addendum, BNI bank statements on behalf of the Bengkalis Regency KPU, BNI newspaper accounts on behalf of Candra Gunawan, cash amounting to Rp57,525,000, and reports on audit results of the calculation of state financial losses carried out by the Indonesian KPU inspectorate, as well as other documents.

The suspect's modus operandi dominates all KPU financial management. Not following the specified technical guidelines, giving rise to findings of funds that cannot be accounted for by the treasurer.

"Then it does not deposit taxes on several shopping activities in the general treasury book (BKU) used for personal interests by the treasurer," he explained.

Initially, the disclosure of the case was when the Bengkalis Police received a public complaint regarding the misuse of grant funds by the Bengkalis Regency KPU regarding the election for the Bengkalis Regent and Deputy Regent in 2020.

Then unit III of the Bengkalis Police Corruption Unit carried out an investigation in the form of examining the initial documents and clarifying the witnesses who were directly involved in the implementation of the 2020 Bengkalis Regent and Deputy Regent Election.

"Then the Bengkalis Police will get sufficient preliminary evidence for the case to be raised to the investigation level," he said, confiscated by Antara, Tuesday, May 9.

Based on the results of the examination of witnesses, expert examination, examination of suspects, documents and evidence that have been confiscated related to the management and accountability of the 2020 regional election grant funds received by the Bengkalis KPU from the Bengkalis Regency Government amounting to Rp40 billion, and there were unlawful acts committed by these four suspects.

The suspect is subject to Article 2 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 3 of Law of the Republic of Indonesia number 31 of 1999 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia 20 of 2001 concerning amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia number 31 of 1999 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code. They face a maximum imprisonment for life and a maximum fine of IDR 1 billion.