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North Sumatra Police detain local KPU official for extortion
Parlagutan Harahap is at least the second official of a North Sumatra election body to be named as a suspect of extortion, following the arrest in November of Azlansyah Hasibuan, who was then a member of the Medan Bawaslu.
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Temporary workers check and fold ballot papers for the North Sumatra Regional Representatives Council (DPD) election at a warehouse of the Medan General Elections Commission (KPU) in the North Sumatra capital on Jan. 16, 2024. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
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Parlagutan Harahap, who was inaugurated three months ago as human resources commissioner at the Padang Sidempuan KPU, is now in the custody of the provincial police.
“The police are still investigating this case to discover whether any other suspects were involved,” North Sumatra Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Hadi Wahyudi said on Monday.
Hadi said the suspect was arrested on Saturday during the North Sumatra Police’s sting operation at a local cafe and was named as a suspect the following day.
The preliminary investigation found that Parlagutan had allegedly extorted his victim, a legislative candidate running for the Padang Sidempuan City Council (DPRD) identified only by the initial F, in exchange for ensuring that F gained the most votes in the general election on Feb. 14.
“Officers found evidence [comprising] cash of up to Rp 26 million [US$1,647] while arresting the suspect at a cafe,” Hadi said, and that police suspected the money originally belonged to F.
