REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will interrogate 12 witnesses in an alleged corruption case involving Sutan Bhatoegana (SB), the chairman of the House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission VII in charge of energy and mineral resources.
"The 12 witnesses will be questioned in the corruption case involving SB," Chairman of the KPK's news and information department Priharsa Nugraha stated here on Thursday.
The witnesses include Waryono Karno, the former secretary general of the energy and mineral resources ministry (ESDM), Atena of ESDM, Elisabet Rika of ESDM, Gerhard Marten Rumeser of the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKK Migas), Said Abu Bakar Ali of SKK Migas, Hardiono of SKK Migas, Asep Permana of ESDM, Didi Dwi Sutrisnohadi of ESDM, Hermawan of SKK Migas, Ego Syahrial of ESDM, and Tri Kusuma Lydia of SKK Migas.
The KPK has named SB, a politician from the Democratic Party, a suspect in a corruption case at the energy and mineral resources ministry on May 14, 2014.
"Based on the developments of the case, it is believed that corruption has allegedly been committed in connection with the discussion of the revised 2013 budget with SB as the chairman of the DPR Commission VII during 2009-2012 period and is being named as the suspect," KPK spokesman Johan Budi recently remarked.
SB, a well-known parliamentarian, is suspected to have violated articles in the law on corruption.
Johan claimed that the suspect had allegedly received a gift or a pledge, which is believed to be given in order to make him do or not do something within his capacity to violate several articles in the anti-corruption law, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of Rp1 billion.
He noted that the corruption case was the result of the development of the case of Rudi Rubiandini, the former chief of the oil and gas regulator SKK Migas, who has already been convicted.
During court sessions, Rudi confessed to have given US$200 thousand to Sutan through Commission VII member Tri Julianto at a fruit shop on Jalan MT Haryono, but both Sutan and Tri have denied the allegations.
He stated that the money was given as "a post-fasting holiday allowance" to the House Commission VII members.
Sutan's name has also been mentioned for having sought a reward from PT Timas Suplindo in exchange for helping the company win a tender at SKK Migas for an offshore construction project of Chevron.
He earlier worked as the deputy director in the company during the period between 2003 and 2004. Rudi was awarded seven years' imprisonment and a fine of Rp200 million.
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