KPK Calls Dangdut Singer Cita Citata As A Witness For The COVID-19 Social Assistance Case Of Social Affairs Ministry

Cita Citata (Personal Instagram)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) called the dangdut singer Cita Rahayu or Cita Citata. Cita Citata was examined as a witness in the COVID-19 social assistance (bansos) bribery case at the Ministry of Social Affairs which ensnared former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

It is planned that Cita Citata will be investigated to complete the case files for the suspect who received bribes from Matheus Joko Santoso (MJS) who is a former Commitment Making Officer (PPK) of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"Cita Rahayu, an artist, is being examined as a witness for the suspect MJS," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri in his written statement, Friday, March 26.

For information, the name of the dangdut singer Cita Citata has appeared in a trial in the COVID-19 social assistance bribery case with the accused who gave the bribe, namely Harry Sidabukke and Ardian IM.

In the trial, Cita Citata was mentioned by the former Commitment Making Officer (PPK) of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Adi Wahyono, who was present as a witness. According to the suspect who received the bribe in this case, Cita Citata had participated and attended a Ministry of Social Affairs' event in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, and received an honorarium of IDR 150 million.

Apart from examining Cita Citata, the KPK also examined three other witnesses. They are private parties from PT. Guna Nata Dirga, Wempy; and two entrepreneurs, namely Vijaya Fitriyasa and Rachmad Sulomo.

It is not yet known the material for the examination of the four witnesses who were summoned by the investigators today. It's just that, the four of them are suspected of knowing about this matter.

Previously reported, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) of food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Greater Jakarta area, including former Social Minister Juliari.

Apart from Juliari, the Corruption Eradication Commission (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, it is suspected that a fee of Rp. 12 billion was received. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi which was then used to meet personal needs.

When conducting a hand caught operation (OTT) in this case, the Corruption Eradication Commission (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. Rp. 14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.