3 Kemensos Office, Effendi Gazali Until Adik Ihsan Yunus Called KPK

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned a number of high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs. They will be examined as witnesses in the case of alleged bribery for the provision of COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) in Jabodetabek.

They are the Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs Hartono Laras; Director General of Social Protection and Security (Dirjen Linjamsos) Ministry of Social Affairs Pepen Nazarudin; and Kukuh Ari Wibowo, Expert Staff of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"Examined as a witness for the suspect MJS (Matheus Joko Santoso, PPK of the Ministry of Social Affairs)," said Acting KPK spokesperson for prosecution Ali Fikri in a written statement, Thursday, March 25.

In addition, the KPK also summoned communication observer Effendi Gazali and three other private parties, namely Triana from PT Indo Nufood Indonesia; Amelia Prayitno from PT Cyber Teknologi Nusantara; and Muhammad Rakyan Ikram. They will also be examined as witnesses for Matheus Joko.

"They were also examined as witnesses," he said.

Ikram is the younger brother of the former Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Ihsan Yunus. This PDI Perjuangan politician has often been linked with the bribery case for the provision of social assistance for COVID-19 and is suspected of having received billions of rupiah and two Brompton bicycles through his operator, Agustri Yogasmara.

Ali did not elaborate on the examination or the material to be asked of the witnesses. However, they are suspected of knowing about the cases that ensnared a number of these suspects.

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

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 Rp 12 billion was allegedly received. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi which was then used to meet personal needs.

When conducting OTT in this case, 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.