11 Students Return Money Allegedly Corruption Scholarship Rp135.5 Million

BANDA ACEH - Investigators from the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Aceh Police received a refund of state money for alleged corruption cases from 11 students totaling Rp135.5 million.

Head of Public Relations of the Aceh Police Kombes Winardy said the number of students who returned the scholarship funds continued to grow.

"Previously there were 38 students who returned scholarship funds. And now there are 11 more. Meanwhile, there are 400 students who are not eligible and meet the requirements to receive scholarships," said Kombes Winardy, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, February 23.

Previously, investigators from the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Aceh Police investigated the alleged corruption of the Aceh Government scholarships for the 2017 Fiscal Year with a value of Rp. 22.3 billion.

The scholarship budget is placed in the Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM) of Aceh Province. The scholarships were distributed to 803 recipients.

Based on the results of the investigation, there are 400 students who have the potential to be suspects because they received scholarships, but did not meet the requirements as recipients. They found out that he did not qualify as a scholarship recipient.

Kombes Winardy said the handling of the alleged corruption case was still in process and was just waiting for the determination of the suspect after the case was scheduled for the near future.

However, said Kombes Winardy, the Aceh Police gave the opportunity to hundreds of recipients who did not meet the requirements to return the scholarship money they received to the regional treasury.

"Investigators prefer to return state losses rather than punish scholarship recipients who do not meet these requirements," said Kombes Winardy.

Kombes Winardy said the Aceh Police had issued an appeal to the scholarship recipients who were not entitled to immediately return the money to the state treasury.

As a follow-up to the appeal, said Kombes Winardy, the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation at the Aceh Police opened a post for refunding scholarships.

"The 11 students returned the scholarships on Monday (21/2) and Tuesday, February 22. On Monday, February 21, there were six students with a total of Rp. million.

According to Kombes Winardy, up to now as many as 49 students have returned state losses totaling IDR 582.1 million.

Kombes Winardy said investigators have not been able to release any students who do not meet the requirements or students who have returned state losses. Those with an interest in these data can contact the post at the Ditreskrimsus Polda Aceh.

Regarding a party asking the police to immediately process the main actor in the scholarship corruption case, Kombes Winardy said investigators would immediately identify and announce the suspect based on the results of the case title.

"We are both waiting for investigators to carry out a case title to determine the suspect. In determining the suspect, there are provisions or SOPs that must be followed so as not to violate the rules," said Kombes Winardy.