Palembang, KOTABARI.COM – The Chairman of the National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) in South Sumatra, Hendri Zainuddin (HZ), has been officially declared a suspect in a corruption case related to the use of grant funds from the Provincial Government of South Sumatra (Sumsel) and the procurement of goods funded by the 2021 Regional Budget (APBD).
On Monday (4/9/2023), HZ was summoned by authorities to provide testimony regarding the case. He arrived at the South Sumatra High Prosecutor’s Office at 09:00 AM WIB.
After undergoing questioning throughout the day, HZ left the South Sumatra High Prosecutor’s Office at around 08:30 PM WIB. However, in an attempt to evade the media’s cameras, which had been waiting since the afternoon at the South Sumatra High Prosecutor’s Office on Gub H Bastari Street in the Jakabaring District of Palembang, he made a hasty exit through the back door.
As he left the building, HZ was seen wearing a brown shirt, a black cap, and black trousers while donning a mask to conceal his identity. He immediately left the premises in his private vehicle, a black Toyota Fortuner with license plate number B 1641 WJE, which had been waiting outside the building.
Journalists who were stationed in front of the South Sumatra High Prosecutor’s Office attempted to chase after HZ and requested a direct statement from him, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.
I Gede Pasek Suardika, legal counsel for Hendri Zainuddin, explained that his client was initially summoned as a witness earlier in the day, but his status was subsequently upgraded to that of a suspect in the case. Nevertheless, HZ was not detained.
Suardika also stated that they are still awaiting further information regarding HZ’s summons as a suspect in the near future.
“The main points of this case involve the procurement of goods, the disbursement of deposits, and the use of grant funds. We are still trying to understand where our client went wrong, especially in regard to these grant funds. We believe in HZ’s integrity and will continue to defend him,” Suardika said.
This case will continue to be investigated further by the authorities to uncover more facts related to the alleged corruption involving the Chairman of KONI South Sumatra.