Riefan questioned as graft suspect

JAKARTA. The Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office questioned on Wednesday Riefan Afrian, the son of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Syariefuddin Hasan, for his role in a graft case centering on a project managed by his father’s ministry.

Riefan, who has been charged with rigging the Rp 23 billion (US$1.9 million) procurement of Jumbotrons for the ministry, was questioned for around eight hours.

Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office head Adi Toegarisman said Riefan was not detained after questioning. He dismissed speculation that Riefan had been given preferential treatment because of his father’s influence, saying the investigators had their own reasons for not detaining him.

After an almost year-long investigation, prosecutors named Riefan a suspect last week for his alleged role in the case. He is believed to be the man who controlled PT Imaji Media, which won the procurement tender in 2012.

Riefan appointed his former driver, Hendra Saputra, an elementary school dropout, to act as president director of Imaji Media. Hendra is currently standing trial for his alleged role in the case. Riefan is the president director of PT Rifuel, which also bid in the tender but failed to win.