NTT governor faces probe over alleged misuse of budget funds

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor Frans Leburaya is facing questioning by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in connection to reports of the alleged misappropriation of 2010 social assistance funds (Bansos) worth
Rp 15.5 billion (US$1.7 million).

In a press release in Kupang on Friday, Leburaya said he was ready to respond to any summons following reports over his alleged part in the graft case by the People’s Coalition for a Transparent Indonesia (KOMITs) and the NTT Students and Youth Communication Forum (FKPM) a few days ago.

“If the KPK summons me, I will certainly come to clarify,” he said.

He said he was not familiar with the groups that had filed his case with KPK.

“If the reports are based on the findings of the NTT office Supreme Audit Agency [BPK], then the matter should be over because the findings are administrative in nature,” he added.

He said the NTT Inspectorate had verified the matter as part of the BPK’s follow-up measures.

“The measures are in the form of reprimands to regional working unit heads,” he said.

Representations of the KOMITs and FKPM went to the KPK on June 25 to file the report of the governor’s case.

The governor was accused of using the funds to charter a plane for a visit to East Flores regency costing Rp 27.9 million, and to Rote Ndao and East Sumba regencies (Rp 46 million), and was also accused of renting a helicopter for Rp 14 million to visit North Central Timor regency.

He also allegedly used the funds for an official trip to Germany worth Rp 166.4 million and China (Rp 27.2 million).

There were also cash transactions using social aid funds not in line with their allocations, worth Rp 607.3 million.

Separately, the Lampung Police named North Lampung Education Office head Zulkarnain a suspect in connection with the alleged corruption case involving the fund worth Rp 43 billion in 2010.

Apart from Zulkarnain, three North Lampung Education Office officials, Salahudin, Umam Muchtar and Syahdat, along with district chief Gunawan Fahmi, were also named suspects in the case, after investigators found enough evidence in an inquiry on June 18.

Despite their suspect status, they have yet to be detained.

“We have yet to hold them because we are convinced they will not try to escape,” said Lampung Police spokesman Ad. Sr. Comr. Sulistyaningsih on Friday.

She said that based on an audit by the Lampung Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP), the state had incurred a loss of up to Rp 43 billion in both physical and non-physical construction projects carried out by the North Lampung Education Office.

The Lampung Police have also examined project committee head Gunawan Fahmi along with North Lampung Education Office head Zulkarnain.

“The number of suspects in the case could likely rise,” said Sulistyaningsih.

Earlier, the Lampung BPKP conducted an audit on the alleged misappropriation of education DAK funds in North Lampung regency in 2010, worth Rp 43 billion.

The BPKP audit indicated that the education projects carried out by the North Lampung Education Office in 2010, worth Rp 43 billion, were believed to be rife with irregularities, such as a number of elementary and junior high school projects that were not completed despite the fact that entire funds had been disbursed.