Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained five suspects on charges of bribery intended to influence a verdict of the Kepahiang District Court in Bengkulu.

"The KPK has taken five suspects into custody for 20 days to conduct an investigation," KPK spokesman Yuyuk Andriati stated here, Wednesday.

The five detainees are Chief of the Kepahiang District Court Janner Purba, ad hoc judge of the Bengkulu Anti-corruption Court Toton, officer of the anti-corruption court Bachsin, former deputy finance director of the Regional Public Hospital M. Yunus in Bengkulu Edi Santroni, and the hospitals finance department head Syafri Syafii.

The suspects are being detained in Jakarta as of Wednesday morning.

They were caught red-handed by the KPK in Kepahiang in Bengkulu. The agency seized Rp150 million that was given by Syafri to Purba, who had also received Rp500 million from Edi on May 17.

The bribe was given to influence the verdict in favor of Edi and Syafri who were being tried in the district court over an embezzlement case.

The suspects have been accused of manipulating the salaries of the hospitals advisory board members.

The verdict was due to be read out last Tuesday.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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