The four suspects, identified only by their initials, were Medan’s Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary doctor IW, North Sumatra Health Agency civil servant and doctor KS, health agency employee SH and property agent SW.

North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Panca Putra Simanjuntak said the investigation into the four suspects started after members of the general public gave a tip-off about vaccinations being offered to people not yet eligible for the program.

Based on the information, police investigators uncovered a vaccination scheme involving 50 people in the Jati Residence residential complex in Medan on May 18. They seized 13 vials of CoronaVac, a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Chinese-based pharmaceutical Sinovac Biotech Ltd., during the raid -- four of which were empty as the vaccine had already been administered.

Read also: Gotong Royong: How private companies in Indonesia are starting their own vaccination

Panca said the vaccination scheme, which was declared illegal as the participants did not fall within the government's priority groups, was coordinated by SW, a property agent working in Medan.

After inoculating nearly 1.5 million medical workers, the government is aiming to vaccinate around 21.5 million elderly people and 17.3 million public workers in the second phase of the national vaccination drive.

“There have been at least 15 illegal vaccination schemes between April and May, with around 1,085 people inoculated. The suspects allegedly received bribes [in exchange for the vaccine] totaling around Rp 238 million [US$16,564],” Panca said during a press briefing on Friday.

He added SW was working together with doctors IW and KS, who administered the vaccine. The doctors obtained the vaccine from SH, who obtained it from a stockpile managed by the provincial health agency. 

The police found that each participant paid Rp 250,000 to SW, who then gave Rp 220,000 to IW. According to the investigation, SW received around Rp 32.5 million for the illegal vaccination scheme, while IW obtained around Rp 271 million.

The suspects used vaccines earmarked for prisoners and officials at the Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary in Medan.

Read also: Concerns grow over Sumatra's surging COVID-19 cases

The police charged SW under the 2001 Corruption Law for allegedly giving bribes, while IW and KS were charged under the same law on suspicion of accepting bribes. The charges carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of Rp 1 billion.

SH, who allegedly procured the vaccines for IW without proper procedure was charged for violating articles 372 and 374 of the Criminal Code on embezzlement with incriminating elements.

SW claimed she was urged by her colleagues to help them get vaccinated immediately.

“They chipped in for the vaccine, then I gave the money to the doctors. My friends gave me money voluntarily for my ‘service’ helping them obtain the vaccine, although I didn’t ask for it,” SW said during the press briefing.

North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi said on Friday he condemned the doctors, who are also civil servants, for illegally selling vaccinations. “They can be dismissed if they are proven guilty.”

Anak Agung Gde Krisna, the head of the correctional division of the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s North Sumatra regional office, said IW, who is a civil servant assigned to the penitentiary, had committed an act that was not part of their official duties.

Read also: Swab scandal, quarantine breaches call Indonesia's tourism reopening into question

This was the second case handled by the North Sumatra Police this month concerning COVID-19 mitigation efforts in the province.

Previously, the police named five workers from state-owned clinical laboratory company Kimia Farma Diagnostika suspects for allegedly reusing up to 150 antigen rapid test kits daily since December 2020 on people departing from Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang. 

They allegedly made Rp 1.8 billion through the scheme in which they cleaned the used swabs at a lab in Medan. An antigen test can cost up to Rp 250,000.

Both the police and medical experts said the act was dangerous for other people and not in accordance with health standards.

Recently, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir dismissed two Kimia Farma Diagnostika directors following the scandal in Medan. All employees suspected of being involved in the case have also been dismissed from the company. (kuk)