Former Aceh DPRD Member Charged With Corruption Scholarship Rp2.91 Billion

Two defendants in a criminal act of scholarship corruption attended the trial at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court in Banda Aceh, Tuesday (2/4/2024). ANTARA/M Haris SA

BANDA ACEH - The public prosecutor (JPU) charged a former member of the Aceh DPRD with committing a criminal act of corruption in student scholarships with a value of Rp. 4.58 billion.

The defendant Dedi Safrizal, served as a member of the Aceh DPRD for the 2014 to 2019 period. Defendant Dedi Safrizal is also a narcotics convict who was previously detained in Cipinang Prison, Jakarta.

In addition to the defendant Dedi Safrizal, the Public Prosecutor also charged the defendant Suhaimi in the same case, but the case file was separate. The defendant Suhaimi is said to be the coordinator of the scholarship distribution.

The prosecutor in his indictment stated that the defendant Dedi Safrizal as a member of the Aceh DPR proposed a scholarship program for 208 students for the 2017 fiscal year. The scholarship funds reached Rp4.58 billion, placed in the Aceh Province Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM).

Furthermore, the defendant Suhaimi looked for students who received the scholarship. The scholarships were given to diploma three education students, diploma four, S1 to S3, both domestically and abroad.

"Students are given ranging from Rp. 20 million to Rp. 40 million per recipient. Scholarships are also given for specialist medical education. The number of scholarship recipients reaches 208 people, only 158 people receive it," said the public prosecutor.

In the distribution, said the Public Prosecutor, the two defendants cut the number of scholarships ranging from Rp. 15 million to Rp. 27 million per recipient, bringing the total scholarship cuts to Rp. 2.91 billion.

The prosecutor detailed that of the Rp2.91 billion in scholarship funds, Rp2.36 billion of which was for the personal benefit of the defendant Dedi Safrizal. Meanwhile, the defendant Suhaimi received Rp. 131 million, the witness on behalf of Khairul Bahri received Rp. 54 million, and for 158 recipients with a value of more than Rp. 1 billion.

The actions of the defendants violated Article 2 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was changed to Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

"As well as Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was changed to Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code," said the Public Prosecutor.