The Detention Of Former Minister Of Social Juliari Batubara Is Extended By The KPK

Former Minister of Social Affairs KPK Juliari Batubara (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has extended the detention period of former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara for a bribery case for the provision of social assistance (bansos) COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area. This extension of detention was carried out to meet the needs of investigations.

"The detention extension is being carried out because the investigating team still needs time to complete the investigation process and file the cases of the suspects," said Acting KPK spokesman for Enforcement Ali Fikri in his written statement, Wednesday, February 3.

This extension of detention, continued Ali, would be carried out for 30 days based on the decision of the Chairman of the Central Jakarta District Court (PN Jakpus) from today to March 5.

In addition to extending Juliari's detention period, Adi Wahyono, who is the Ministry of Social's commitment-making official (PPK), also extended his detention period.

"JPB was detained at the KPK Prison Pomdam Jaya Guntur Branch, while AW was at the South Jakarta Police Detention Center," he said.

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 recipients of bribes and AIM and HS as the givers of bribes.

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.