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Former Indonesian minister arrested over alleged graft

13 Oct 2023 03:04pm
In this photo taken on Oct 5, 2023, former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo (C) delivers a statement to journalists in Jakarta, after the Corruption Eradication Commission inspected his residence. He has been named as a suspect in a corruption probe and accused of pocketing more than USD800,000 of public money, a week after resigning his post. - (Photo by RICKY PRAKOSO / AFP)
In this photo taken on Oct 5, 2023, former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo (C) delivers a statement to journalists in Jakarta, after the Corruption Eradication Commission inspected his residence. He has been named as a suspect in a corruption probe and accused of pocketing more than USD800,000 of public money, a week after resigning his post. - (Photo by RICKY PRAKOSO / AFP)

JAKARTA - A former Indonesian government minister has been arrested by the country's anti-corruption commission, an official said Friday, after a series of accusations including pocketing more than $800,000 in public funds.

Graft remains rampant in the archipelago nation, which ranked 110th out of 180 nations in Transparency International's latest corruption perception index.

Former agriculture minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo resigned last week because of the allegations levelled at him, and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) formally named him as a suspect on Wednesday.

He was detained on Thursday, with local media showing him being taken handcuffed into the commission's offices in the capital Jakarta.

KPK spokesman Ali Fikri would not confirm if the commission had arrested Limpo on formal charges, but he told reporters Thursday evening that the commission detained him because of concerns he would flee or destroy evidence.

He said KPK investigators were still questioning Limpo on Friday.

"It is still ongoing. We will update... this afternoon," Fikri told AFP Friday.

Fikri said Limpo missed the commission's summons on Wednesday for questioning, citing family reasons.

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He is the sixth minister to be investigated for corruption since President Joko Widodo took office in 2014.

The Indonesian leader told reporters Friday that "there must be reasons" for Limpo's arrest.

"Let us respect the legal proceedings," he said, according to state news agency Antara.

Limpo's lawyer Febri Diansyah did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

But he told reporters late Thursday the former minister "would not run away".

Limpo is accused of forcing ministry officials to send him money from state coffers every month, using the cash to pay for credit card bills and instalments on a luxury car.

He is also accused of bribery and abuse of power "to enrich oneself or others" according to Indonesia's anti-corruption law, the KPK said Wednesday. - AFP

Syahrul Yasin Limpo
indonesian minister
corruption
graft
arrest
jakarta
public funds
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