The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf after charging him with graft on Wednesday night. 

KPK deputy chairwoman Basaria Panjaitan said the antigraft commission had sufficient evidence to name Irwandi a graft suspect over the alleged embezzlement of Aceh’s special autonomy funds.

Irwandi was accused of accepting Rp 500 million (US$34,794) from Bener Meriah Regent Ahmadi as part of a Rp 1.5 billion “commitment fee” related to an infrastructure project in the regency

The former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leader allegedly asked regional heads in the province for 8 percent of every project financed by Aceh’s special autonomy fund, which amounted to Rp 8 trillion this year, Basaria said. 

“The funds could have been used for something that the Acehnese people could benefit from, such as infrastructure development, economic empowerment, poverty alleviation and social and health [programs].”

The KPK also charged Ahmadi and two businesspeople, Hendri Yuzal and Syaiful Bahri, in the case.

Irwandi and the other suspects were arrested during an operation in Banda Aceh and Bener Meriah regency on Tuesday evening. (ahw)