Fraud Food Campaign Project Worth IDR 930 Million, Mataram Police Sets 2 Suspects

Kasatreskrim Polresta Mataram Kompol Kadek Adi Budi during a press conference on a fraud case with campaign basic food project mode in Mataram, NTB, Wednesday (28/9/2022). (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

NTB - Mataram Police revealed a case of alleged fraud with the project mode of distributing basic necessities for the 2020 regional head candidate campaign activities.

The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Mataram Police, Kompol Kadek Adi Budi Astawa, said the case was revealed based on reports from the victim, who was a food seller at Bertais Market.

"Based on the follow-up to the report and the results of the case, investigators have named two suspects," he said in Mataram, NTB, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, September 28.

The suspects in this case have the initials RR and EAM. Both are suspected of Article 372 of the Criminal Code on Embezzlement and Article 378 of the Criminal Code on Fraud.

However, Kadek Adi said that his party had just detained RR, a resident of Ampenan, Mataram City.

"For EAM, not yet. He is now on the police DPO (wanted list)," he said.

Kadek Adi explained that the roles of RR and EAM in this case were different. For RR, it acts as the party who gives a check bearing the money for the purchase of basic necessities for the campaign for regional head candidates worth Rp930 million.

"In addition to providing a check written for Rp930 million, this RR also handed over the goods to the victim," he said.

Meanwhile, EAM, a man from Ampenan, Mataram City, acted as a lobbyist for the victims. Because of EAM's ruse, the victim believed in the modus operandi of EAM.

"So, at that time, EAM promised cooperation in the distribution of basic food projects for the campaign," he said.

Because he believed in the perpetrator's modus operandi, he said, the victim agreed to run the project. For the first time, the victim handed over basic necessities in the form of 50 tons of rice and 30 tons of sugar.

"These basic necessities were given to the perpetrators of RR, along with handing over a fake check of IDR 930 million which seemed as if the victim could cash it out," he said.

A week later, the victim went to the bank with the aim of disbursing the money. However, the bank said the check was fake.

"After knowing that he was cheated, the victim immediately reported to us," said Kadek Adi.

The victim in this case suffered a loss of IDR 130 million according to the price of basic necessities given to the perpetrators of RR.

Based on the examination, the perpetrators of RR acknowledged the fraud mode. The groceries given by the victim have been sold out.