JAKARTA - Former chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Romahurmuziy and Finance Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin have been indicted for receiving bribes from Head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' East Java Regional Office Haris Hasanudin in relation to appointments in the ministry.
In the indictment, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors alleged that Mr Hasanudin paid bribes amounting to Rp 325 million, of which Rp 255 million was received by Mr Romahurmuziy.
Mr Romahurmuziy has also been charged with receiving Rp 91.4 million bribes from former Head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Gresik Regency Regional Office Muhammad Muafaq Wirahadi, of which Rp 41.4 million was used to finance Mr Romahurmuziy's cousin Abdul Wahab's legislative campaign.
"It is thus determined that [the accused] continuously received gratification totalling Rp 325 millioon from Haris Hasanudin," said KPK prosecutor Wawan Yunarwanto during Mr Romahurmuziy's indictment at the Corruption Court in Central Jakarta as quoted by Bisnis.com, Wednesday (11/9).
In Mr Hasanudin's previous indictment, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin was alleged to have received Rp 50 million in bribes on March 1, 2019 at the Mercure Hotel, Surabaya as well as Rp 20 million at the Tebuireng Pesantren, Jombang on March 9, 2019.
Per the prosecution's statement, Mr Romahurmuziy allegedly intervened appointments in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, both directly and indirectly, and violated his authority as a member of the House of Representatives. Mr Hasanudin allegedly requested Mr Romahurmuziy's assistance in obtaining the top job at the Ministry of Religious Affairs' East Java Regional Office, which was then followed up by Mr Romahurmuziy by directly asking Mr Saifuddin, who holds a membership in PPP. (MS)