T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday named Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Damayanti Wisnu Putranti a suspect for accepting bribes from a group of businessman following her arrest by KPK investigators on Wednesday night.

Damayanti, currently a member of House Commission V overseeing infrastructure, is the second PDI-P House lawmaker to be arrested by the KPK since the party won legislative elections in 2014.

Last year, the KPK nabbed PDI-P lawmaker Andriyansah for receiving bribes on the sidelines of the party'€™s congress in Bali. The congress was attended by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo and party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

'€œDWP [Damayanti] and some other individuals were arrested during the operation. The other individuals have been identified as UWI and DES. They have all been charged under articles 11 and 12 of the 2001 Corruption Law for receiving bribes,'€ KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo told a press briefing at the headquarters of the antigraft body on Thursday.

The individuals identified only as DES and UWI were businessmen who allegedly helped to arrange a S$33,000 bribe to Damayanti.

Both articles 11 and 12 carry a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars.

Meanwhile, Agus said KPK investigators had charged another businessman, identified only as AKH, for bribing the PDI-P politician, adding that AKH would be charged with Article 5 of the 2001 Corruption Law. Article 5 carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Agus further said that Damayanti received the $33,000 in exchange for her work to secure a construction project earmarked for the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry for the 2016 fiscal year.

Damayanti was arrested along with UWI, DES and AKH at four different locations across Jakarta on Wednesday night. The KPK also arrested two drivers, who were later released after undergoing 24 hours of intensive questioning at KPK headquarters.

Agus said that the $33,000 was part of $404,000 promised by AKH to Damayanti and DES for their efforts to secure the project from the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry.

'€œUWI earlier received another $33,000, which was later collected by DWP,'€ Agus said.

Following the arrest, KPK investigators on Thursday sealed a number of buildings in Jakarta thought to house evidence in the bribery case.

All four suspects have been sent to the KPK'€™s detention center.

Soon after his arrest, the PDI-P quickly dismissed Adriyansah from the party. Adriyansah was later convicted and sentenced to three years in prison.

Separately, Hendrawan Supratikno, deputy chairman of the PDI-P faction in the House, confirmed the arrest of Damayanti and said that the party would not tolerate any offences that could taint the party'€™s good image.

'€œ[We will dismiss her] immediately, just like we did with Adriansyah,'€ he said on Thursday.

Hendrawan acknowledged that Damayanti was known to come from a '€œwell-off'€ background due to her career in infrastructure development projects.

Earlier on Tuesday, PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri warned the 4,000 participants of the party'€™s national meeting in Central Jakarta that the party would not tolerate corruption and any members involved in the practice would be dismissed from the party.
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