Completed Files, 2 Bribery Juliari Batubara The Covid-19 Social Assistance Case Immediately Trial

Reconstruction of the Bansos bribery case (Photo: Wardhani Tsa Tsa / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has completed the investigation files of two bribes in the suspected COVID-19 social assistance procurement (bansos) bribery case in the Greater Jakarta area, namely Ardian IM and Harry Sidabuke.

"After the files are declared complete (P21), the KPK investigating team will carry out the second stage, namely the submission of the suspects and evidence to the public prosecutor (JPU) team," said Acting KPK spokesperson Ali Fikri in a written statement, Tuesday, February 2.

Furthermore, the two bribes of former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara will be detained again at the KPK detention center. Ardian was detained at the KPK Detention Center for the Pomdam Jaya Guntur branch, and Harry was detained at the KPK Detention Center plot C1.

"Within 14 working days, the indictment will be prepared and the defendants' case files will be submitted to the Corruption Court," he said.

During the filing process, Ali said investigators had examined 41 witnesses, including Juliari Batubara, who was also a suspect in receiving bribes in this case.

Previously, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area including the non-active Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

Apart from Juliari, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as the recipient of the bribe and AIM and HS as the giver of the bribe.

This case began when Juliari appointed two commitment-making officials (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi to carry out this project by directly appointing partners. The KPK suspects that it was agreed that there was a fee from the work package that partners had to pay to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

As for the fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package that Matheus and Adi agreed to, it was IDR 10,000 from a value of IDR 300 thousand.

Matheus and Adi then made work contracts with several suppliers as partners for providing social assistance in May-November 2020. The partners chosen were AIM, HS, and PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia alias PT RPI which allegedly belonged to Matheus and whose appointment was known to Juliari.

In the first phase of the distribution of social assistance, a fee of IDR 12 billion is suspected. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi which was then used to meet personal needs.

In this silent operation, the KPK also confiscated evidence in the form of money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.