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span class="inline inline-left">Goodbye freedom:: Karawang regent Ade Swara of West Java waves his hand before entering a detention car at the Bandung Corruption Court on Tuesday. Ade and his wife are currently standing trial at the court for their alleged involvement in the extortion of Rp 9.92 billion The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Bangkalan regency council speaker Fuad Amin Imron who was the former regent, while the Bandung Corruption Court tried Karawang Regent Ade Swara on graft cases on Tuesday.

The KPK apprehended Fuad at his house in Sasak, Kraton subdistrict in Bangkalan, Madura Island, East Java, on suspicion of accepting bribes from the private sector related to the supply of gas to the regionally owned gas enterprise.

'€œHe was arrested on Tuesday at 12:30 a.m. The arrest was led by KPK investigator Adj. Sr. Comr. Novel Baswedan, assisted by the Bangkalan regency police, a squad from the Sabhara riot police unit and detectives from the Crime and Intelligence Unit,'€ East Java Police chief spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiono told The Jakarta Post
on Tuesday.

Awi said Fuad did not resist arrest, which was conducted fast, only lasting 30 minutes and Fuad was immediately taken to Jakarta to undergo examination.

Fuad served as Bangkalan regent for two terms since 2003. He officially resigned in March 2013 and was replaced by his son Imam Buchori Makhmud Ibnu Fuad who won the direct election. Fuad, former House of Representatives member in 2003 from the National Awakening Party (PKB), is currently a member of the Gerindra Party.

He started his political career when he joined the Nahdlatul Ulama Students Association (IPNU). He was also active in the youth wing of Nahdlatul Ulama (Ansor) in Bangkalan from 1969 to 1972 and became the chairman of the local NU chapter.

In the mid 1990s he joined the Madura Ulama Brotherhood Institute as deputy head.

His main political achievements began when he became the Bangkalan chapter United Development Party (PPP) leader from 1996 to 1998.

He relinquished the position after he was appointed as the PKB East Java chairman from 1998 to 2000.

During his leadership, a number of activists reported on alleged corruption involving ethnic Sampit refugee funds and the procurement of goods and services. Fuad was also once reported to have forged his education diploma when he ran for the second time as Bangkalan regent.

Separately, Karawang Regent Ade Swara and his wife Nurlatifah stood their initial trial related to alleged extortion and money laundering at the Bandung Corruption Court on Tuesday. Both of them are at risk of being sentenced to a maximum sentence of 20 years and fined Rp 10 billion (US$830,000).

The trial was presided over by judge Nawawi Pamolango, including judge panel members Djoko Indarto and Adriano.

In the indictment, KPK prosecutor Yudi Kristiana said Ade and his wife illegally asked for and received money; Ade had abused his power.

Ade had taken advantage of his position as Karawang regent to suspend a spatial planning permit on behalf of PT Tatar Kertabumi, a subsidiary of PT Pesona Gerbang Karawang, which would build the massive Super Block project.

The project will include a hotel, shopping mall, apartment blocks and residences called Karawang City Mall, standing on a 5.16-hectare plot on Jl. Kertabumi, Karawang. The developer must obtain a spatial planning permit from the Bekasi regency administration. PT Tatar Kertabumi managing director Rully R. Taufik Hidayat had applied for the permit in Jan. 23, 2013.

Prosecutors mentioned that Ade and Nurlatifah had demanded money from PT Tatar Kertabumi CEO Aking Saputra and parties with interests in the application of the permit at a sum of Rp 9.92 billion.

Both defendants are at risk of getting a 20-year sentence and a fine of Rp 10 billion for violating Law No. 8/2010 on prevention and eradication of money laundering.