East Ciputat district chief Muhamad Zainudin, on the run for two months, was arrested Wednesday at his home in the Vila Balaraja complex in Tangerang regency.
“He put up no resistance when prosecutors arrested him,” said Tangerang chief prosecutor Suyono.
“The suspect claimed he’d been in such a tizzy after being named a suspect that he decided to hide.”
Zainudin is among 12 people alleged to have embezzled Rp 16.9 billion (US$1.7 million) from state-funded literacy programs.
He was named a suspect in early November and went into hiding soon after.
Suyono said the arrest was made following a tip-off from local community members.
Rahmat Haryanto, head of the special crimes unit at the prosecutors’ office, said Zainudin was instrumental in the embezzlement as chairman of the supervisory board of the regency’s literacy program, which was organized by community learning activity centers at all districts regency-wide.
Prosecutors allege he took Rp 120 million from the state funds in 2007.
The activity centers were established in all districts across the regency under the program.
Other suspects arrested in the case include activity center officials and officials at the Banten Education Agency.
Zainudin’s arrest leaves three more suspects still at large.
In the time between his being named a suspect and his arrest, the South Tangerang municipal administration took no action against Zainudin, even when he went AWOL for two months, which in itself is a serious breach of civil servant regulations.
South Tangerang administration assistant Ahadi, the acting head of East Ciputat district, was asleep and could not be disturbed when The Jakarta Post called for confirmation.
Rahmat said Zainudin would be charged with violating articles in the 2009 Corruption Law, which could see him serve up to 20 years.
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