T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that its investigators arrested a number of people in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.

“Yes, an operation in Kendari began last night [and went on] until today, as we received information from local citizens. We are questioning a number of people, including businesspeople, regional heads and other state officials,” the antigraft body’s spokesman, Febri Diansyah, told reporters on Wednesday evening.

Febri, however, refused to reveal more information regarding the operation, including on the identity of the people questioned, as investigators are still working to gather evidence.

According to several reports, former Kendari mayor Asrun and his son Adriatma Dwi Putra — the current mayor of the municipality — were among individuals questioned by the graft busters.

Adriatma was elected as mayor in 2017, while his father is currently running as a candidate for the Southeast Sulawesi gubernatorial election. Asrun served as Kendari mayor for two periods from 2007 to 2017.

Last year, the KPK had started an investigation into alleged graft related to the management of the municipality’s tap water company (PDAM), which implicated Asrun.