MEDAN: The South Labuhan Batu Prosecutor’s Office (Labusel PO) in North Sumatra has arrested a police officer from the provincial police force over the alleged misappropriation of government funds from a social assistance programme.
The officer, who holds the rank of second brigadier and has been identified only by his initials, YML, was arrested on July 16 and is being held at the Kotapinang Correctional Institution along with five other suspects in the corruption case.
North Sumatra Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ferry Walintukan said the force would not intervene in the criminal proceedings.
"We respect the legal process currently underway at the South Labuhan Batu Prosecutor's Office," Ferry told reporters on Wednesday at the North Sumatra Police headquarters.
He added that YML was undergoing disciplinary proceedings over alleged violations of the police code of professional ethics in connection with the graft case, although any sanctions would only be determined after the court had delivered its verdict.
"The professional ethics process is currently underway at the South Labuhan Batu Police's internal affairs division," Ferry said.
Oloan Ikhwan Maruli Tua Sinaga, the intelligence chief at the Labusel PO, said the investigation into YML centred on a Rp 3.9 billion (US$216,000) budget allocated in 2024 to the regency's Social Affairs Agency for social rehabilitation programmes targeting vulnerable residents.
A subsequent audit uncovered alleged widespread irregularities in the programme’s implementation, including invalid beneficiary data, the disbursement of funds for activities that were never carried out, the use of fictitious procurement receipts and suspected mark-ups in food aid procurement.
"A forensic audit estimated state losses of approximately Rp 1.9 billion, nearly half the total allocated budget," Oloan said.
Oloan said YML, a son-in-law of former South Labuhan Batu Regent Edimin, had a significant role in the programme, including selecting vendors for social aid procurement, coordinating goods purchases and facilitating payment disbursement.
In addition to YML, the Labusel PO has named six other suspects in the case. They are N, the acting head of the Labusel Social Affairs Agency in 2024; AB, a private-sector businessman; RN, the commitment officer (PPK) for the social assistance programme; HN, director of procurement vendor CV Sri Rezeki; PPS, the programme’s technical activity officer (PPTK); and GGRS, a contract employee at the regency’s Social Affairs Agency.
Six of the seven suspects have been detained. The remaining suspect, GGRS, died on May 21.
YML's legal team has filed a pretrial motion with the Rantauprapat District Court, challenging his designation as a suspect as well as his detention.
During the pretrial hearing on Tuesday, lawyer Halomoan Panjaitan presented nine requests on behalf of his client, including a demand that the judicial panel declare YML’s designation as a suspect null and void. Jakarta Post/ANN
