KPK Seizes Hundreds of Millions of Rupiah After Searching the Office and House of the Lampung Tengah Regent's Office

KPK spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo (DOK Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) seized hundreds of millions of rupiah when searching three locations related to alleged bribes that ensnared Lampung Tengah Regent Ardito Wijaya on Tuesday, December 16.

KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo said the search was carried out at the office and residence of the Regent of Central Lampung as well as the office of the Central Lampung Road and Construction Office.

"In addition to confiscating documents, there is also a certain amount of money that has been secured, it will be confiscated. Later we will check exactly how much, but the initial information reached hundreds of millions of rupiah," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Wednesday, December 17.

"Later we will check again the exact number," he continued.

Furthermore, Budi said that the current team of investigators was still in Central Lampung. A series of searches were still being carried out, one of which was at the Health Office.

"This is related to the procurement project of health equipment which is suspected to be one of the modes used by the regent to ask for project fees to vendors or suppliers of goods and services," said Budi.

As previously reported, the KPK held a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) in the Jakarta and Central Lampung regions on Monday and Tuesday, December 9-10. From this activity, the team secured a number of people including the Regent of Central Lampung Ardito Wijaya.

Furthermore, Ardito was named a suspect along with four other people. They are Riki Hendra Saputra as a member of the Lampung Tengah DPRD; Ranu Hari Prasetyo as Ardito's younger brother; Anton Wibowo as acting head of the Lampung Tengah Regional Revenue Agency as well as a close relative of Ardito; and Mohamad Lukman Sjamsuri as a private party or Director of PT Elkaka Mandiri.

Ardito is said to have received a fee of IDR 5.75 billion from a procurement project in Central Lampung. The KPK said the money was obtained through the procurement conditioning mechanism, namely winning a company owned by the family or its winning team.

Of the amount of money he received, Ardito used it for operational funds of Rp500 million and repaid the bank loan when he was running as a candidate for regional head. The value of the debt is said to be Rp5.25 billion.

As a result of Ardito's actions, Anton, Riki, and Ranu as recipients were suspected of violating the provisions of Article 12 letter a or Article 12 letter b or Article 11 or Article 12 B of Law No. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 concerning Changes to Law No. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Lukman as the grantor is suspected of violating the provisions of Article 5 Paragraph (1) letter a or Article 5 Paragraph (1) letter b or Article 13 of Law No. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 concerning Changes to Law No. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.