Saturday, April 19, 2008
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Tangerang prosecutors have named a number of suspects in this year's second graft case involving subsidized rice for the poor.
Utun Sobari (Tangerang municipal People Empowerment Body head), Tajudin (Teluk Naga district secretary) and his staff member Syaripudin were all named suspects, Tangerang prosecutors' office head Agus Sutoto said Friday.
"Based on our investigations, Utun Sobari should be held responsible for irregularities in the Rp 200 million earmarked for a monitoring team for the distribution of subsidized rice," Agus said Friday.
"The Rp 200 million from the 2007 budget was supposed to finance the monitoring team's work, but the suspect distributed it to district and subdistrict chiefs before the team was formed," he said.
Prosecutors, Agus said, would also summon all subdistrict and district chiefs from across the municipality to be examined because they were believed to have received money from the suspect.
Utun was not available for comment, but Saiful Rochman, the municipal administration spokesman, said Tangerang mayor Wahidin Halim signed a decision to hand down the funds to the monitoring team in November, but in October the funds were already disbursed.
"The funds have already been returned to the administration, however, and we will prepare lawyers to accompany the suspect during the trial, because there has been a misinterpretation between prosecutors and the People's Empowerment Body chief over the case," he said.
Prosecutors investigating a similar case in Teluk Naga district (also in Tangerang regency) also found Tajudin and his staff had abused their positions by selling rice intended for poor residents in the district, over a two month period, Agus said.
The suspect amassed Rp 549 million by selling subsidized rice for between Rp 2,500 and Rp 3,500 a liter to other buyers.
"The number of suspects in the case will likely increase because we are continuing our investigations," he said.
Tangerang Regency Administration spokesman Zainal Arifin said that he was not informed about the matter.
"If the district secretary has been named suspect in the graft case, we will prepare lawyers for him and his staff. We will also prepare their substitutes because the district office's services for the public must run," he said.
Prosecutors had already detained Sukadiri district chief Lizia Sobandi and his two staff members, for selling subsidized rice earmarked for the poor in the open market.
Two other suspects have also been detained in the case, for knowingly purchasing subsidized rice. The pair are now being detained at Tangerang youth penitentiary while awaiting trial at the district court.
Irregularities in the distribution of subsidized rice was first blown up through media reports made by the local non governmental organization Forum Lintas Pelaku, and prosecutors soon followed through with an investigation.
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