Palembang, KOTABARI.COM – The South Sumatra Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Sumsel) has successfully apprehended Riduan, a fugitive in a suspected corruption case involving a village internet project in Musi Banyuasin (Muba). Riduan, who serves as the Head of Revenue, Finance, and Assets Division at the Community and Village Empowerment Office (PMD) in Muba Regency, was arrested on Saturday (June 22, 2024) at around 1:10 PM WIB while traveling from Muba to Palembang.
At the time of the arrest, Riduan was wearing a turban, all-white clothing, and sandals. This arrest was part of Kejati Sumsel’s efforts to combat corruption, which has caused state losses of up to IDR 27 billion.
Assistant Special Crimes Prosecutor Umaryadi SH MH stated that after the arrest, Riduan would be taken to Pakjo Class I Detention Center in Palembang for a 20-day detention period. “After we arrested the suspect today, we will conduct further investigations. The suspect will then be taken to the detention center and held for the next 20 days,” said Umaryadi.
Riduan is suspected of being involved in inflating prices in the procurement of communication networks along with Muhammad Arif, Director of PT Info Media Solusi Net (ISN), who was previously detained. This corruption occurred during the 2019-2023 fiscal years and caused state losses of IDR 27 billion.
Additionally, the Head of Economic and Village Development at the PMD Office in Musi Banyuasin Regency, Harbal Fijar (HF), is also suspected of receiving money from the internet subscription funds from Muhammad Arif. HF has returned IDR 126 million to the state through his family and legal counsel to the special crime investigation team at Kejati Sumsel on Friday (June 21, 2024).
Kejati Sumsel spokesperson Vanny Yulia Eka Sari SH stated, “Today, the investigation team received a deposit of IDR 126 million in state losses returned by the suspect HF, which was handed over by the suspect’s family and legal counsel to the special crime investigation team at Kejati Sumsel.”
Previously, the investigation team had named three suspects and detained two, namely Muhammad Arif and Harbal Fijar, in connection with the corruption case involving the provision of internet services to 200 villages in Muba Regency.
With this arrest, it is hoped that the legal process will proceed smoothly and recover the state losses caused by this corruption.