KPK Detains 2 Suspects In Corruption Cases In Land Procurement For Construction Of SMKN 7 Tangerang

Deputy Chairman of the KPK Alexander Marwata at a press conference on the determination of the suspect in the SMKN 7 Tangerang project / PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named three suspects related to allegations of corruption in land acquisition for the construction of SMKN 7 South Tangerang, Banten Province for the 2017 Fiscal Year. One of them is the Secretary of the Banten Province Education and Culture Office, Ardius Prihantono.

"KPK will upgrade the status of this case to investigation in August 2021 by naming the following suspects AP, AK, and FN," said KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata at a press conference at the KPK Red and White Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Tuesday, April 26.

Agus Kartono and Farid Nurdiansyah, who are private parties, will then be detained for 20 days until May 15. Agus is being held at the KPK Rutan Pomdam Jaya Guntur Branch while Farid will serve a period of detention at the KPK Detention Center at the KPK Red and White Building.

Meanwhile, Ardius Prihantono was not detained by the KPK because he was in the process of being detained by the Banten High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) for alleged corruption.

In this alleged corruption, Ardius is the Budget User Authority (KPA) of the Banten Province Education and Culture Office for the construction of SMKN 7 Tangsel.

He then received information on prospective land locations and conducted a survey with other parties including Farid, the supervisor of the South Tangerang Dikbud High School Imam Supingi, Rengas Village Head Agus Salim, and a consultant from PT Gemilang Berkah Consultant named Oka Kurniawan.

The locations surveyed belong to Sofia M Sujudi and Franky with an area of 7,000 square meters. However, Alexander said, Ardius did not compile a report in the form of an official report.

Subsequently, Ardius was appointed Secretary of the Land Procurement Coordination Team based on the Banten Governor's Decree to build the school. At that time, he received a report regarding the Land Replacement Assessment at the request of the South Tangerang Education and Culture Office.

However, the land apparently ignores the condition of the main access to the land from another road that is covered by residents' walls. In addition, Ardius did not present the assessment in front of the coordination team.

Alexander explained that Ardius had processed and signed the official report on the payment of land compensation for the construction of the New School Unit of SMKN 7 South Tangerang and the receipt in Agus Kartono's name. In fact, the compensation should be carried out simultaneously with the release of rights by the entitled party, namely the land owner.

As a result of the actions of the suspects, the state financial state lost up to Rp. 10.5 billion. In addition, Agus received Rp 9 billion and Farid Nugraha received Rp 1.5 billion.

Furthermore, Ardius and two other suspects were suspected of violating Article paragraph (1) or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999. on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.