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Two electricity officials are graft suspects: KPK
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named two officials at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry suspects in a corruption investigation on Tuesday
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he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named two officials at the Energy and Mineral
Resources Ministry suspects in a corruption investigation on Tuesday.
“We have named Jacobus Purwono, the power and energy utilization director-general, and Kosasih, a contracting officer at the directorate-general, as suspects,” KPK representative Johan Budi said.
The two officials were accused of accepting bribes to favor a certain supplier during the procurement of home solar-power systems, he added.
The anticorruption body also found evidence of possible price markups during the procurement process.
The KPK estimates that the markup cost the state more than Rp 119 billion (US$13.09 million), Johan said.
He said evidence of corruption was uncovered when the commission investigated the solar-power system procurement and installation project, which was conducted throughout Indonesia in 2007 and 2008.
The project aimed to provide solar-powered lighting for schools, offices and houses.
“We initially thought that there was almost no monkey business and that the procurement project was conducted through tender, but later we discovered that there was a plot related to prices and a deal to secure the bid for the contractor which later won,” Johan said.
The KPK investigation team had found sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation of the two officials, he added.
Jacobus and Kosasih allegedly accepted Rp 4.6 billion (US$506,000) from the winning contractor,
which was transferred into a “tactical fund account” at the ministry, he added.
“The two suspects will be charged under the 2001 Law on Corruption,” Johan said.
The KPK’s team of investigators will look for more evidence of graft at the ministry, he said.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh stated that his office had not yet received official notice of the case.
“Everyone at the ministry is concerned about whether the accusations are founded,” Darwin said, adding that he hoped that the anticorruption body would process the case fairly under existing laws.
“We respect the law; therefore we will play according to the law.
The ministry will also internally follow up this case,” Darwin told The Jakata Post through text message. (ipa)
Jacobus
and Kosasih allegedly accepted
Rp 4.6 billion (US$506,000) from the winning contractor, which was transferred into a “tactical fund account” at the ministry.
