COVID-19 Mask Corruption Case, Sumbawa Deputy Regent Examined As Former NTB BPKAD Official

Deputy Regent Sumbawa Dewi Noviany wore a mask to avoid reporters' questions after being questioned by the Mataram Police in the case of procuring a COVID-19 mask, Monday, January 29. (Between)

The Mataram Police examined the Deputy Regent (Wabup) of Sumbawa, Dewi Noviany regarding the alleged corruption case in the procurement of masks to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in 2020 in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). Head of the Mataram Police Satreskrim Kompol I Made Yogi Purusa Utama said Dewi Noviany was examined as a witness as a former official at the NTB Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD). "Yes, today the person concerned [Dewi Noviany] is being examined as a witness," he said in Mataram, NTB, Monday, January 29, as reported by Antara. Yogi explained that this examination was part of an effort to complete the case file, considering that there were 105 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the NTB area who provided testimony as witnesses in front of investigators. "So, the examination in question (the Deputy Regent of Sumbawa) is to combine with the testimonies of 105 MSME actors that we have examined previously," he said. The inspection activity was carried out in the room of the Corruption Crime Unit (Tipikor) of the Mataram Police Satreskrim. For about 4 hours undergoing examination, Dewi Noviany left the room at 14.00 WITA. During the examination in the room, he accompanied Dewi Noviany's personal attorney, Kusnaini. "Yes, as the attorney for Dewi, I accompanied the investigation," said Kusnaini. According to him, his client while serving as Head of Administration Subdivision at BPKAD NTB only limited to forwarding information on the procurement of the COVID-19 mask to MSME actors in Sumbawa Regency. "Because at that time it was COVID-19, it was difficult to get information. So, at that time, Mrs. Dewi helped find information about the procurement. Especially in Sumbawa Regency, there were recorded procurements of 48,000 COVID-19 masks," he said.

The project, which is under the control of the NTB Small and Medium Enterprises Cooperative Office, cost Rp12.3 billion of APBD. The government prepared the funds from the results of the budget refocusing policy during the pandemic. Dalam penyelidikan yang berlangsung sejak Januari 2023, Dewi Noviany pada medio Agustus 2023 pernah mendatangi Polresta Mataram dalam rangka memenuhi undangan polisi untuk memberikan keterangan. As an effort to strengthen evidence at the investigation stage, in addition to collecting witness statements, the police also asked for support from BPKP NTB to conduct an audit of state financial losses.