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KPK detains Palembang mayor, wife
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained Palembang Mayor Romi Herton and his wife Masyito on Thursday in relation to bribery allegations that also previously implicated former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar
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he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained Palembang Mayor Romi Herton and his wife Masyito on Thursday in relation to bribery allegations that also previously implicated former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar.
Romi and Masyito were questioned for several hours by KPK investigators before being detained.
'We will detain Romi and his wife for an initial 20 days,' KPK spokesperson Johan Budi said as quoted by tempo.co on Thursday evening.
Johan said Romi would be held at the KPK detention center in Guntur, South Jakarta, while Masyito would remain at the detention center on the ground level of the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
On the way out of the KPK lobby before entering a detention car, Romi said he had accepted the KPK's decision and would follow due processes.
When asked about his position as mayor, Romi said he would follow procedures.
On June 16, the KPK named Romi and Masyito as suspects for allegedly bribing Akil, who has been sentenced to life in prison for accepting bribes from a number of regional heads, including Romi.
The bribe from Romi, worth Rp 20 billion (US$1.72 million), was expected as a return after Akil ruled in favor of him in the city's mayoral election.
According to Akil's indictment, Romi used Muhtar Efendy, an alleged confidant of Akil who collected money from a number of regional heads, to transfer the bribe to Akil. Muhtar has been slapped with a travel ban in relation to the case.
Romy and Masyito will be charged with Article 6 of Law No. 31/1999 on Corruption Eradication with a maximum of 15 years in prison and Rp 750 million in fines. They will also be charged with Article 22 of the same law for giving false testimony in court during Akil's trial. (gda)
