KPK seizes Rp 100b from graft suspect Fuad

JAKARTA. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Thursday that it was looking closely at assets worth hundreds billions of rupiah belonging to graft suspect and former Bangkalan, East Java, regent Fuad Amin.

Antigraft investigators confiscated on Wednesday more than Rp 100 billion (US$8.01 million), in cash and from bank accounts, from Fuad and his friends and relatives.

“After Wednesday’s confiscation, we found strong indications of the existence of other assets allegedly bought using money from criminal activities. This is an interesting case,” said KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto, adding that the value of assets that could be seized in the future might be extremely high.

Bambang did not disclose the value of the assets in question, but did reveal that they were in the form of cash, cars and buildings, adding that investigators would confirm that the assets were indeed funded by ill-gotten money before moving to seize them.

The antigraft official further said that the KPK encouraged people in Bangkalan to inform KPK investigators if they knew of the existence of further tainted assets belonging to Fuad.

Bambang added that the antigraft body hoped that the recent shooting of local antigraft activist Mathur Husairi would not discourage people in Bangalan from volunteering information regarding corruption engaged in by Fuad or members of his political dynasty in the regency.

“We condemn the shooting of the activist in Bangkalan. We have received information that he is currently in hospital and that his condition is critical. With regard to the corruption case, we hope that people in Bangkalan will help KPK investigators by disclosing meaningful information regarding corruption and abuse of power allegedly carried out by Fuad, or about assets belonging to him,” Bambang said.

After arresting Fuad in early December for allegedly accepting “routine” bribes in connection to a multimillion-dollar gas contract that he signed in 2007, KPK investigators searched a number of houses belonging to him and his relatives, finding and confiscating around 7 billion rupiah in cash.

Fuad’s family members and his confidants, in a move to prevent KPK investigators from laying hands on the rest of his money, hid more than Rp 100 billion rupiah in a number of bank accounts registered under other people’s names.

KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha, meanwhile, said that the KPK had blocked the accounts and transferred the money to the accounts of the KPK’s illicit assets division, where it would remain until the court confirmed the status of the money in Fuad’s upcoming trial.

“The total is more than Rp 100 billion,” Priharsa revealed.

The confiscation is the single largest amount the antigraft body has ever seized. The KPK also seized two houses in Surabaya and six cars registered under the name of Fuad. The recent confiscation follows the seizure from Fuad in December of dozens of cars, houses and motorbikes. (Haeril Halim)