Newly Formed, South Papua Province Faces Rp6 Billion PAUD Grant Fund Corruption Case

Merauke Police Chief AKBP Leonardo Yoga. BETWEEN/HO-Personal Documentation.

JAKARTA - The police are investigating allegations of corruption in early childhood education grant funds (PAUD) at the Education Office (Disdik) of South Papua Province in 2023 amounting to Rp6 billion.

"The investigation of the case was carried out by involving Sub-Directorate III of the Corruption Crime Directorate of the Papua Police," said Merauke Police Chief AKBP Leonardo Yoga in Merauke, Monday, March 3, as reported by Antara.

Yoga said as many as 12 witnesses had been questioned. Meanwhile, based on the results of the investigative audit conducted by BPK, it was revealed that state losses reached Rp4.6 billion.

He said that until now no one has been named a suspect, but from the results of the interim investigation it was revealed that the potential suspect led to YM, who served as Secretary of the South Papua PAUD.

According to the Police Chief, YM himself allegedly used the funds for his business activities and was involved in online gambling.

"The determination of the suspect will be carried out after a case is carried out related to the case. Investigators are still conducting investigations to reveal further," said Yoga.

He said the examination of witnesses and the collection of evidence related to the case were still being carried out by investigators.