REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained Billy Sindoro, an executive of diversified conglomerate Lippo Group. He was named as suspect in a bribery case concerning the issuance of property permits for the modern city of Meikarta, the group’s flagship project.
“BS (Billy Sindoro) will be detained for 20 days at Jakarta Police detention center,” KPK spokesperson Febri Diansyah said on Tuesday (Oct 16).
After being examined, Billy refused to give any comment when being confirmed by medias. Billy was secured by KPK at his residence on Monday (Oct 15) night and later being investigated at KPK building.
KPK also has named Bekasi Regent Neneng Hasanah Yasin, Administration’s Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Agency head Jamaludin, Investment Service and Integrated Licensing Services head Dewi Tisnawati, Fire Departement head Sahat Maju Banjar Nahor, and Bekasi regency PUPR Agency’s spatial planning division head Neneng Rahmi as suspects. They have been arrested for their involvement as bribe recipients of Meikarta licensing process.
“The gift in this case was allegedly part of the fee commitment of the first project phase and not the first of the total commitment of Rp13 billion,” said KPK deputy chairman Laode M Syarif.
The Meikarta case is the second corruption case that Billy has been implicated in, as he was convicted on bribery in a broadcast monopoly case in 2009. At the time, KPK suspected him of bribing a member of the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU), Muhammad Iqbal, to influence the ruling of a case pertaining to broadcasting rights of a sports program.
A team of KPK investigators arrested Billy, who served as the then-president director of cable television company First Media, a subsidiary of the Lippo Group, at a hotel lobby in Jakarta during an operation in September 2008 and seized Rp500 million that the businessman gave to Iqbal. The corruption court eventually found the businessman guilty in the case and sentenced him to three years behind bars and a fine of Rp 200 million.