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Comedian questioned in graft case
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned comedian Sri Wahyuningsih, popularly known as âCici Tegalâ, on Friday as a witness in a graft case implicating former health minister Siti Fadilah Supari
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he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned comedian Sri Wahyuningsih, popularly known as 'Cici Tegal', on Friday as a witness in a graft case implicating former health minister Siti Fadilah Supari.
Speaking to reporters after the questioning, Cici acknowledged that she once received a check for Rp 500 million (US$38,000) from Siti as a donation for a music concert she had organized. Cici, however, said she had had no knowledge about where the money came from.
'It was meant to sponsor a religious music concert. [I] sent proposals for the event to many people and finally got Rp 500 million from Ibu [Siti],' she said.
Last year, the KPK named Siti, who served as health minister from 2004 to 2009, a suspect in a graft case surrounding the procurement by the Health Ministry of medical equipment worth Rp 15.5 billion ($1.33 million) in 2005.
The KPK alleged Siti abused her authority to enrich herself and charged her under articles 2 and 3 of the Corruption Law, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The KPK, however, has yet to detain Siti.
Before naming Siti a suspect, the KPK had questioned her in several different graft cases at the ministry, including one implicating former director general of medical services Ratna Dewi Umar.
The Jakarta Corruption Court later sentenced Ratna to five years in prison.
The case centered on the botched procurement of medical equipment in 2007, worth Rp 40 billion.
During her trial in 2013, Ratna said she was instructed by Siti to directly offer the procurement tender to a company belonging to businessman Bambang Rudijanto Tanoesoedibjo, but the brother of media mogul Hary Tanoesoedibjo has strongly denied the allegation.
Siti, meanwhile, has repeatedly denied allegations she was connected to Ratna's case, saying she had no knowledge of foul play in the project and could not monitor the 'thousands of procurement projects' at the ministry.
It was the National Police that first named Siti a suspect in the case.
The KPK took over the case from the police in March last year.
