Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday detained three former House of Representatives (DPR) members suspected of having received bribes in a protected forest conversion case in South Sumatra.

"After a series of questioning sessions, we have detained (former legislators) AC, FAL, and HI," KPK spokesman Johan Budi said here Wednesday.

Johan said the three were detained because they were suspected of having enjoyed gratification for succeeding in making a House commission approve the conversion of a protected coastal forest in South Sumatra into the site of Tanjung Api Api seaport.

The three were put into a KPK prison car at about 17:00 west Indonesian time and sent to different prisons. AC was taken to the North Jakarta police`s detention facility, HI to the Jakarta Police Headquarters` Detention Center, and FAL to the Central Jakarta Police`s prison.

The conversion of the protected Air Talang coastal forest into the location of Tanjung Api Api seaport in Banyuasin district, South Sumatra, had also involved a businessman and local government officials.

To get the House`s Commission IV`s approval for the conversion the sponsors of the Tanjung Api Api seaport project had bribed a number of the commission`s members, including the three detained by the KPK on Wednesday.

The Corruption Court had already sentenced businessman Chandra Antonio Tan, former South Sumatra governor Syahrial Oesman, former House Commission IV chairman Yusuf Erwin Faisal, and former House Commission IV member Sarjan Tahir in the bribery case.

The KPK had found proof of transfers of a total of Rp5 billion in funds from businessman Chandra Antonio Tan and South Sumatra provincial government officials to a number of House Commission IV members in 2007.

The amount was transferred in two instalments. Of the first instalment, Rp 150 million had gone to then House Commission IV member Sarjan Tahir, Rp275 million to Yusuf E. Faishal, Rp175 million to Hilman Indra, Rp325 million to Azwar Chesputra and Rp175 million to Fachri Andi Leluasa.

In addition, the KPK had the names of 17 other House Commission IV members who had each received between Rp25 million and Rp170 million of the bribe money.(*)

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono
COPYRIGHT © 2012

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