Mimika Regent's Substitute Also Entangled In Corruption Cases, Ministry Of Home Affairs Says According To Provisions Filled With Acting Secretary Of Central Papua

Head of the Information Center (Kapuspen) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Benni Irwan. BETWEEN/HO-Puspen Ministry of Home Affairs

JAKARTA - Head of the Information Center (Kapuspen) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Benni Irwan emphasized that the inauguration of the Acting (Pj) Secretary of Central Papua Province Valentinus Sudarjanto Sumito as Acting Regent of Mimika was in accordance with the provisions. "The inauguration of the Acting Regent of Mimika has complied with the laws and regulations. This is because Deputy Regent Johanes Rettob as Acting Regent (Plt) of Mimika Regent was temporarily dismissed, after being named a suspect in a criminal act of corruption," said Benni in his official statement, Monday, June 26, was confiscated by Antara.

Deputy Regent of Mimika who is also the Acting Regent of Mimika Johannes Rettob is known to be a suspect in the alleged corruption case in the procurement and management of aircraft and helicopters belonging to the Mimika Regency Government.

Johannes rose to the Acting Regent of Mimika in 2022. At that time, Eltinus Omaleng, who served as Regent of Mimika, was caught in a corruption case whose case was handled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Eltinus was then like Johannes was temporarily dismissed from his position in the regional government because he was caught in an extraordinary criminal problem, namely a criminal act of corruption.

The process of temporary dismissal of Johannes is regulated in the provisions of Article 83 of Law (UU) Number 23 of 2014 concerning Regional Government. This article regulates that regional heads and/or deputy regional heads are temporarily dismissed without going through the DPRD's proposal for being charged with committing a criminal act of corruption based on the case register in court.

Meanwhile, the dismissal of Eltinus was stated in the Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 100.2.1.3-1245 of 2023.

Benni added that the dismissal was also a follow-up to the Letter of the Chairman of the Jayapura District Court Number W30-UI/1010/HK.01.01/05/2023 dated May 16, 2023 regarding Requests for Documents related to the Defendant Register on behalf of Johannes Rettob. "The letter explained that the Timika District Attorney has delegated Johannes as a defendant in the Corruption Court at the Jayapura District Court with case register Number 9/Pid.Sus-TPK/2023/PN Jap dated May 9, 2023," said Benni.

The appointment of a person as the acting regent/mayor can then be carried out by the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian, as regulated in Article 86 of the Regional Government Law. The article stipulates that if the regent/mayor is temporarily suspended and there is no deputy regent/deputy mayor, the minister in this case the Minister of Home Affairs can appoint an acting regent/mayor at the suggestion of the governor as the deputy governor of the central government until there is a court decision that has obtained permanent legal force. Benni also emphasized that the appointment of Pj. Mimika Regent is an effort to ensure that the administration of government in the area continues and there is no absence of leadership. That way, he continued, various public services and government tasks will continue to be carried out properly as well.