After the luxury house, IDR 48.5 billion was confiscated by the Corruption Eradication Committee related to the Regent of Labuhanbatu

The money comes from parties who are entrusted by Erik. "The money is spread out across various bank accounts, one of which is in the name of the suspect EAR (Erik)," Ali said in a written statement on Monday (29/4/2024).

Also read: KPK Arrests Regent of North Labuhanbatu

The issue of air pollution is not new. The condition of communities threatened by air pollution has been present for a long time. There is a significant amount of research showing the threat of air pollution's impacts. Nevertheless, this has not been able to drive significant efforts to control air pollution. As a result, residents continue to suffer amidst the air pollution. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has also blocked and seized the bank accounts through coordination with the relevant bank. The panel of judges in the corruption court is expected to confiscate the seized money for the state as a form of return of the country's corrupt wealth assets.

In addition to seizing money, KPK investigators also summoned nine witnesses related to this case at the Labuhan Batu Police Station. They come from private sectors as well as two commitment makers, namely Muhammad Awaluddin and Haristua Siregar.

The money was spread across various bank accounts and one of them was in the name of the suspect EAR. (Erik)

Procurement project

As for Erik, he has been detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) since January 12th, 2024 after being caught in an operation to catch civil servants red-handed the day before. Erik is suspected of intervening and being active in various procurement projects in Labuhan Batu.

In the operation, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested 10 individuals, four of whom were named as suspects. In addition to Erik, the KPK also detained a member of the Labuhan Batu Regency Regional Council (DPRD), Rudi Syahputra Ritonga, as well as two private parties, namely Efendy Sahputra and Fazar Syahputra.

On January 26th, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) once again arrested two new suspects. They are members of the Labuhan Batu Regional Council (DPRD), Yusrial S Pasaribu, and a private individual named Wahyu S Siregar.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Nurul Ghufron, revealed that during the operation to catch corrupt officials (OTT), cash amounting to IDR 551.5 million was seized as part of alleged temporary acceptance of around IDR 1.7 billion.

Ghufron explained that Labuhan Batu has budgeted a revenue of IDR 1.4 trillion and expenditure of IDR 1.4 trillion for the fiscal year 2023. This budget is the same as the one allocated for fiscal year 2024.

Intervention

With that budget, Erik intervened and actively participated in various procurement projects in various regional government work units (SKPD) of Labuhanbatu Regency. Among the projects that caught Erik's attention were the Health Department and the Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUPR) Department.

The project at the PUPR Department is a continuation of the Sei Rakyat-Sei Berombang road improvement project in the Panai Tengah sub-district, and the continuation of the Sei Tampang-Sidomakmur road improvement project in the Bilah Hilir/Panai Hulu sub-district. The value of both projects is IDR 19.9 billion.

The amount of money in the form of fees required for contractors to be won is 5 percent to 15 percent of the project budget.

Rudi was appointed by Erik as a trusted person to manage the project and unilaterally appoint the contractor who would be won. "The amount of money in the form of fees required for contractors to be won is 5 percent to 15 percent of the project budget," said Ghufron.

For the two projects in the Public Works and Public Housing Agency, the winning contractors were Fazar and Efendy. Around December 2023, Erik, through Rudi, asked for a certain amount of money to be prepared which was referred to as "collection/rental" from the contractors who had been conditioned to win several projects in the Public Works and Public Housing Agency.

The transfer of money from Fazar and Efendy to Erik was carried out in early January 2024 through a bank account transfer under the name of Rudi and in cash.

Confiscate luxury homes

Last week, the KPK investigators also seized a luxury house worth IDR 5.5 billion in Medan, North Sumatra, which is suspected to be related to a corruption case involving the suspended Regent of Labuhan Batu, Erik. "This asset in the form of a house is allegedly closely linked to the bribe received by the suspect EAR," said the Head of the News Division of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Ali Fikri, as reported by several media outlets on Friday.

Ali explained, the confiscation of the luxury house was carried out by a team of KPK investigators on Thursday (25/4) with officers installing a confiscation sign. Apart from that, the KPK investigative team also previously examined four witnesses regarding the ownership of the house. The inspection took place at the BPKP North Sumatra Representative Office.

The witnesses in question are housewife Maya Hasmita, Notary/PPAT Rosniaty Siregar, lecturer Mona Hastuti, and the Head of Environment in Tanjung Sari Sub-district, Medan Selayang District, Medan City, Rizky Kemal.

Labuhan Batu Regent Erik Adtrada Ritonga, along with other suspects who were arrested in the anti-corruption operation, were taken to the detention display room at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building in Jakarta on Friday (12/1/2024).

Public reports

As previously reported, the naming of suspects started with an operation to catch red-handed (OTT) as a follow-up to reports and information from the community regarding alleged corruption by state officials in the form of conditioning the winning of contracts for contractors working on procurement projects in Labuhan Batu Regency.

Also read: Jokowi Stands Beside a Puddle While Checking Damaged Roads in North Sumatra

The issue of air pollution is not new. The condition of communities threatened by air pollution has been ongoing for a long time. There is also no shortage of research evidence indicating the threats of air pollution's impacts. However, this has not yet been able to push for significant efforts in controlling air pollution. As a result, residents are increasingly suffering in the midst of air pollution. The day before, the KPK investigative team received information that a sum of money, both in cash and through bank transfers, had been handed over to one of EAR's trusted individuals. Upon receiving this information, the KPK immediately apprehended the parties involved in Labuhan Batu Regency. In the operation, KPK seized around Rp 551.5 million in cash as part of the alleged temporary acceptance of around Rp 1.7 billion.

The suspects FS and ES, as bribe givers, are accused of violating Article 5 Paragraph (1) letter b or Article 13 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.

Meanwhile, suspects EAR and RSR, as bribe receivers, are suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or b or Article 11 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.