Tangerang prosecutors will examine all district chiefs across the municipality next week for their alleged roles in a graft case involving subsidized rice for poor residents.
"We will examine 13 district chiefs from Monday to Thursday because we believe they have received money from suspect Utun Sobari, the municipal People Empowerment Body head," Rahmat Haryanto, chief of special crime at the prosecutors office, said Friday.
Prosecutors named Utun Sobari a suspect last month involving Rp 200 million (US$21,700) earmarked for a team to monitor the distribution of subsidized rice.
The Rp 200 million from the 2007 budget was allegedly distributed by Sobari to district and subdistrict chiefs before the team's formation.
Rahmat said prosecutors were committed to processing the graft case in all districts and subdistricts both in Tangerang regency and municipality.
He said prosecutors would also continue to investigate another suspected graft case in the distribution of the subsidized rice to residents in Tangerang regency and has so far arrested seven suspects.
In March, prosecutors detained Sukadiri district chief Lizia Sobandi and two of his staff members for selling the subsidized rice on the market.
Two other suspects were also detained for knowingly purchasing the subsidized rice.
Between August and December 2007, the suspects sold the rice for Rp 3,000 per kilogram -- Rp 2,000 more than its subsidized price. The government had bought the rice for Rp 4,500 per kilogram and sold 32 tons a month to Sukadiri district for Rp 1,000.
It was estimated the officials involved made Rp 77 million from the sale of 224 tons of rice.
Last month, prosecutors also detained Teluk Naga district secretary Tajudin and his staff member Syaripudin.
Tajudin and Syaripudin were accused of having abused their positions and amassed Rp 549 million from selling subsidized rice. It was reported the rice was sold at Rp 2,500 and Rp 3,500 a kilogram within two months.
All suspects are now being detained in the Tangerang Youth Penitentiary while awaiting trial at the district court.
"So far, there haven't been any new suspects. But we are examining Soma Atmaja, the Pagendangan district chief, as a witness in the case," Rahmat said.
Lizia Sobandi's lawyer, Deden Syukron, said he had filed a house arrest request for his client but prosecutors were yet to respond.
"As of today, we are still waiting and we don't know whether prosecutors will grant the request or not," he said at the prosecutors office.
The irregularities in the distribution of the subsidized rice were first exposed through media releases made by local non-government organization Forum Lintas Pelaku. Prosecutors followed up the reports with an investigation.
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