Jakarta, IO – Meranti Islands Regent Muhammad Adil has been officially named a corruption suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after the antigraft body conducted a sting operation on Thursday (6/4).
KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata said Adil was involved in budget embezzlement, gratification for Umrah travel services, and bribery of financial auditors. Other officials were also involved involved. Three of them have been named suspects and will be detained for 20 days.
“KPK has named three suspects, Meranti Islands Regent MA for the 2021-24 term, FN (Fitria Nengsih), head of Meranti Islands Regency Financial and Asset Management Board (BPKAD) as well as branch head of PT TM, and Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) Riau representative,” said Alexander, reported CNN Indonesia, Saturday (8/4).
KPK seized cash worth Rp1.7 billion in the operation. Based on this, KPK arrested 28 people in four different locations, namely Meranti Islands Regency, Siak Regency, Pekanbaru City and Jakarta. Most of them are local officials.
Adil allegedly ordered heads of Regional Work Units (SKPD) to deposit money from the regional budget under the guise that it was a debt payable to him. The money was then used by Adil as operational funds for political safari in the run up to Riau governor election in 2024.
Read: Densus 88 arrests foreign nationals suspected of spreading terrorism propaganda
In December 2022, Adil also received around Rp1.4 billion from PT TM (Tanur Muthmainnah) through someone identified as FN who is engaged in Umrah travel services. PT TM won the contract to take mosque caretakers in the regency for umrah. Adil also paid Rp1.1 billion to Riau head of BPK to ensure that his regency obtain unqualified opinion (WTP) audit result.
Adil was alleged to have received around Rp26.1 billion from various parties. KPK said it expanding its investigations in the case. (un)