KPK Confiscates Bansos Documents For Bansos Juliari Batubara At The Ministry Of Social Affairs

Illustration (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted searches in three places to investigate allegations of bribery related to the provision of social assistance (bansos) at the Ministry of Social Affairs which also ensnared the inactive Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Juliari Peter Batubara.

The three places that have been ransacked by anti-graft commission investigators are the Ministry of Social Affairs and the homes of two suspects in this case, namely two policy-making officials (PPK) AW and MJS.

"Monday, December 7, starting in the afternoon until early morning, the KPK Investigative Team conducted searches at three different locations, namely the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs Office, the homes of suspects MJS and AW," Acting Spokesperson for Enforcement Ali Fikri told reporters, Tuesday, December 8.

Regarding the results of the search, Ali said that a number of documents allegedly related to the bribery case were found.

Furthermore, he said, the document would be analyzed and confiscated. "Then it will be confirmed to witnesses who will be summoned and examined by the investigation team," he said.

Previously reported, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Greater Jakarta area, including Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

Apart from Juliari, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as the recipient of the bribe and AIM and HS as the giver of the bribe.

KPK Chairman Filri Bahuri said this case began when Juliari appointed two commitment-making officials (PPK) Matheus Joko Santoso and Adi to carry out this project by directly appointing partners. "And it is suspected that it was agreed to set a fee for each work package that partners must deposit to the Ministry of Social Affairs through MJS," said Firli.

There is also a fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package agreed by Matheus and Adi of IDR 10,000 from a value of IDR 300 thousand.

Matheus and Adi then made work contracts with several suppliers as partners for providing social assistance in May-November 2020. The partners chosen were AIM, HS, and PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia alias PT RPI which allegedly belonged to MJS.

"The appointment of PT RPI as one of the partners is suspected of being known by JPB and approved by AW," he said.

In the first phase of the distribution of social assistance, a fee of IDR 12 billion is suspected. Matheus gave around Rp. 8.2 billion in cash to Juliari through Adi.

In this silent operation, the KPK also confiscated evidence in the form of money that had been prepared from the bribes, namely AIM and HS in one of the apartments in Jakarta and Bandung. Rp14.5 billion was kept in a number of suitcases and bags and consisted of rupiah denominations and foreign currency.

"Each is around Rp. 11.9 billion, around USD 171.085 (equivalent to Rp. 2.420 billion) and around SGD 23,000 (equivalent to Rp. 243 million)," said Firli.