Indonesian anti-corruption leader accused of extortion

Chairman of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission Firli Bahuri

Reuters reported on November 23 that Indonesian police said that the chairman of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Firli Bahuri, is considered a suspect in the case of extortion or receiving "kickbacks" in a corruption case.

Mr Firli, a former inspector general of Indonesian police, is a suspect in the extortion of former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo, who was arrested last month in a corruption case.

Jakarta police official Ade Safri Simanjuntak said there was enough evidence to conclude that the KPK chairman was a suspect in the extortion case, saying that "a government official" had extorted money from the agriculture ministry from 2020 to 2023.

Authorities seized transaction documents in Singapore dollars and US dollars worth 7.4 billion rupiah (about VND114 billion) from raids at two locations, Mr. Ade added.

Mr. Firly did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The official is not currently under arrest. He told a news conference on November 20, before being named a suspect, that he “never asked for money from anyone, and I have never been involved in any bribery with anyone.”

President Joko Widodo said "due process must be respected" when asked about Mr Firli being considered a suspect.

Mr Firli became chairman of the KPK in 2019. The anti-corruption agency has prosecuted hundreds of politicians , officials and businessmen since its establishment in 2002.

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