T

he Central Sulawesi High Prosecutor'€™s Office has officially detained Central Sulawesi provincial council speaker Aminuddin Ponulele for alleged corruption in a swimming pool project.

The detention was related to Aminuddin'€™s capacity as governor for the 2001-2006 period, when he approved the project in Bukit Jabal Nur, Palu city, without going through a tender.

However, prosecutors released Aminuddin shortly after detaining him. It is still unclear why he was released.

Earlier, Central Sulawesi Prosecutor'€™s Office head Johanis Tanak claimed he wished to quickly settle the case, involving nine suspects, some of them political party leaders and former officials in the province.

Johanis denied the case was politically motivated, especially ahead of simultaneous leadership elections in the province scheduled for Dec. 9.

Office spokesman Eki Mohamad Kasim said the case involved officials and former officials related to the swimming pool project, for which funds were derived from the 2004-2006 provincial budget and which was carried out by Palu-based contractor PT Bhakti Baru Rediapratama.