North Halmahera Prosecutor's Office Investigate Case Of Alleged Extortion Of Lapak Rental

Tobelo District Attorney's Office, North Halmahera Regency, Friday (9/6/2023). BETWEEN/Abdul Fatah

TERNATE - The North Halmahera District Attorney conducted an intensive investigation regarding the alleged illegal levies for renting micro and small business stalls in the square area or around the road area of the North Halmahera Regency Government, North Maluku.

Head of the Special Crimes Section of the North Halmahera Kejari, Eka Hayer, said that his party continues to collect evidence related to allegations of illegal levies of Rp. 500 thousand per month in each stall in the square area.

According to him, the investigation into the alleged illegal levies was because the payment was unclear over the lease of 49 units of stalls that stood on government-owned land and were pegged at fantastic prices.

"We will solve and start investigating the alleged extortion. We call extortion because it is not clear where the money went and on what basis the withdrawal of the rent of the stall was made to culinary traders in the square," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, June 9.

Of the 49 units of stalls in the square area, around 45 stalls have been actively selling on fees for each stall unit of IDR 500 per month.

According to him, the alleged collection of stall rentals has been carried out for four months, so that the total illegal levies have almost reached around Rp. 100 million collected by collectors.

"We will check from the beginning, starting from the procedure for establishing stalls to elements involved in the agreement to collect the stall rental," he said.

Therefore, his party also hopes that the budget sourced from the lease of the stall can increase local local revenue.