he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi a suspect in a bribery case involving the National Sports Committee (KONI).
KPK commissioner Alexander Marwata announced the decision at a press conference at the KPK headquarters in South Jakarta on Wednesday.
"Based on our investigation, we have set two suspects, IMR, the 2015-2019 youth and sports minister, and MIU, [Imam's] personal assistant," Alexander said at the press conference.
He said Imam had accepted Rp 26.5 billion (US$1.9 million) in bribes from KONI and the head of Satlak Prima (Gold Program), a national sporting program for elite athletes that was dissolved in 2018.
The case was first uncovered in December 2018, where KONI allegedly bribed several ministry officials with Rp 3.4 billion to pass state funds to the committee.
The KPK had previously named five suspects in the case: former KONI secretary-general Ending Fuad Hamidy, KONI treasurer Johnny E. Awuy and ministry officials Mulyana, Adhi Purnomo and Eko Triyanto.
Ending and Johnny have both been convicted for bribery, while the three ministry officials are standing trial.
A team of prosecutors named Imam on a list of alleged recipients of bribes during Ending's trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court last March.
The naming of Imam as a suspect comes during a fraught moment for the antigraft agency, occurring only a day after the House of Representatives passed a bill that would severely diminish the KPK's independence and effectiveness in fighting graft. (kmt)
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.