Indonesia: minister named suspect in bribery case

One more minister in Indonesia is facing the alleged corruption charges. This time it is social affiars ministerJuliari Batubara. Indonesia’s anti-graft agency on Sunday named Batubara as a suspect in a million-dollar bribery case, along with four other people. Juliari is the second Indonesian cabinet minister to be named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in recent few weeks.

KPK head Firli Bahuri told a news briefing that Juliari and two other officials are suspected of accepting bribes in connection with the procurement of 5.9 trillion rupiah ($420 million) worth of goods to be distributed as Covid-19 social assistance packages. The other two suspects are private citizens, Firli said. Some of the suspects were arrested in a sting operation in Jakarta on Saturday, where KPK found the cash, Firli said.

“The money was stored in seven suitcases, three backpacks, and in envelopes, amounting to around 14.5 billion rupiah,” or$1.03 million, he said. The online briefing displayed suitcases containing cash. Last month, KPK named Maritime and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo as a suspect in a separate corruption case.