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Indonesia minister Juliari Batubara accused of embezzling coronavirus aid funds
- Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara turned himself in to anti-corruption authorities on Sunday, hours after being urged to surrender
- He is accused of receiving at least US$1.2 million in bribes from two companies who were supplying food packages to the poor
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Associated Pressin Jakarta
Indonesia’s social affairs minister turned himself in to anti-corruption authorities on Sunday to face charges of taking bribes related to the government’s Covid-19 aid distribution.
Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara arrived at the Corruption Eradication Commission’s headquarters in the capital Jakarta hours after the commission’s Chairman Firli Bahuri called on him to surrender in a news conference just before midnight on Saturday.
Batubara, who is also a member of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, made no comment.
The anti-corruption commission, known by its acronym KPK, said Batubara is accused of receiving at least 17 billion rupiah (US$1.2 million) from two supplier companies through his two subordinates, who were also named as suspects.
Bahuri said the suppliers were asked to set aside US 70 cents for each package of basic food distributed to the poor for Batubara’s benefit.
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