Mayor suspended on graft allegations

JAKARTA: Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi has authorized the suspension of Jefferson Soleiman Montesqieu Rumajar after the Tomohon Mayor was named a suspect in a corruption case.

The suspension letter was signed on Monday night, Home Ministry spokesman Reydonnizar Moenek said on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com news portal.

Reydonnizar said the letter ordered North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Hari Sarundajang to inform Jefferson of the suspension and to authorize Deputy Mayor Jimmy Eman to replace Jefferson temporarily.

The Corruption Eradication Commission had already declared Jefferson a suspect when he was inaugurated as Tomohon’s mayor, alleging that Jefferson made fictitious budget allocations for social aid, inflicting losses to the state of Rp 18.8 billion (US$2.07 million). — JP