An official has said that Medan Mayor Rahudman Harahap has been suspended after being named a defendant in a graft case.

Deputy Mayor Dzulmi Eldin will temporarily fill the post.

City secretary Nurdin Lubis said the city administration had received a letter from Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi that was being processed by the Regional Autonomy Agency.

'The Regional Autonomy Agency will make the announcement in the immediate future,' Nurdin said on Tuesday.

Rahudman Harahap refused to comment on the matter, but his lawyer, Julisman, said neither he nor his client had received any notification from the Home Ministry. Julisman criticized the decision to suspend his client, saying that his defendant status did not render him unable to perform his duties.

Two different groups attended Rahudman's hearing at the Medan Corruption Court. The first group comprised civil servants and subdistrict heads who support Rahudman while the second group comprised activists and students supporting the court in the trial of graft defendants.

Rahudman has been charged with misappropriating Rp 1.5 billion in village funds when he was South Tapanuli regency secretary.(dic)

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