The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained House of Representatives member Eni Maulani Saragih from the Golkar Party after naming her a suspect in an embezzlement case pertaining to the construction of a power plant in Riau.

The antigraft body’s deputy chairwoman, Basaria Panjaitan, said investigators had gathered sufficient evidence to name Eni a suspect following an operation in which the politician was apprehended on Friday afternoon.

Eni, who serves as deputy chairwoman of House Commission VII, which oversees energy and mineral resources, stands accused of accepting Rp 500 million (US$34,865) from Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo, a shareholder of coal company Black Gold Natural Resources Limited, which was part of the 2.5 percent commitment fee from the total value of the Riau-1 coal-fired power plant (PLTU) construction project.

“The handover of the money [on Friday] was the fourth transaction from the businessman to [Eni Maulani Saragih], which totaled at least Rp 4.8 billion. The lawmaker’s role was to smoothen the signing of the business cooperation contract pertaining to the power plant construction,” Basaria said during a press briefing on Saturday.

The KPK has also named Johannes a suspect for allegedly giving the lawmaker the illicit money.

Both suspects were apprehended in an operation by the antigraft body on Friday, in which the graft-busters also seized Rp 500 million. (evi)