Top Indonesian prosecutor resigns amid corruption probe
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Up until his resignation, Febrie Adriansyah had been overseeing a corruption investigation in the National Nutrition Agency, which runs President Prabowo Subianto’s free school meals programme.
PHOTO: EPA
JAKARTA – A top Indonesian prosecutor resigned on July 11 after police conducted a series of raids related to corruption investigations this week, including at his residence, and seized cash amounting to more than US$20 million (S$25.9 million) in multiple currencies and 74kg gold bars.
Febrie Adriansyah resigned from his position as head prosecutor of special crimes in the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to maintain neutrality amid the police investigation, according to a press statement from the office released in the early hours of July 11.
Detectives with the national and Jakarta police raided 12 locations and interviewed 15 witnesses this week, during which the law enforcers seized the gold bars and cash worth more than US$20 million in currencies including Indonesian rupiah, US dollars, Singapore dollars and Saudi riyals, Jakarta police spokesperson Budi Hermanto said in a press conference late on July 10.
Police have not explained their investigation, nor detailed allegations against Febrie, because the investigation remained underway, Budi said.
Police previously said the raids were part of their corruption and bribery probe related to the management of state insurers Jiwasraya and Asabri, as well as problems with coal procurement for electricity that led to recent power blackouts.
Addressing the press on the morning of July 10, before his resignation, Febrie denied wrongdoing and said he did not understand why he was investigated over blackouts.
He did not respond to a Reuters request for comment after his resignation.
Febrie had overseen the AGO’s criminal investigations and prosecutions in some high-profile cases, including the controversial graft cases against start-up Gojek founder Nadiem Makarim and former trade minister turned government critic Thomas Lembong, as well as state energy firm Pertamina’s illegal fuel imports case.
Febrie was also involved in President Prabowo Subianto’s forestry task force, which has taken over plantations and mines from companies accused of violating forest utilisation rules.
Up until his resignation, he had been overseeing a corruption investigation in the National Nutrition Agency, which runs Prabowo’s free school meals programme. REUTERS
