Indonesian Police and Anti-Corruption Commission Arrest Papua Governor

JAYAPURA, LELEMUKU.COM - Head of Public Relations of Papua Regional Police, Kombes Ignatius Benny Ady, confirmed the arrest of Papua Governor Lukas Enembe in a bribery case that is currently being handled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta.

"Yes, the information I received from Head of the Operational Bureau of the Papua Regional Police is that the KPK arrested Lukas Enembe," he said on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

Benny said that the arrest was a continuation of the legal process that ensnared Lukas Enembe. He added that Polda will deploy security forces after the arrest.

"That is a legal effort by the KPK," Benny said in a written message.

In addition, Benny said that Lukas Enembe is being held at Mako Brimob Kotaraja Abepura. Later, he said, Lukas Enembe will be taken to Jakarta for further legal process.

Lukas Enembe was officially declared a suspect by the KPK for alleged bribery and gratification of a number of development projects in Papua. So far, the KPK has declared two suspects in the case; Lukas Enembe and Rijanto Lakka.

Enembe is allegedly by the KPK of receiving a bribe of IDR 1 billion from Rijanto Lakka to win the tender for three long-term projects with a total project value of IDR 41 billion.

Enembe and several other officials of the Papua Provincial Government are also alleged to have received a 14 percent share of the project after being cut with taxes.

The KPK has examined Lukas in November 2022. The examination was led directly by KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri with a team of investigators and a medical team to examine Lukas' health.

As a result, the KPK said that Lukas' health condition could not follow the examination of a suspect at that time. Lukas Enembe's legal counsel also filed a request to the KPK to be allowed to seek treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore.

Director of Investigation of KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu said that the examination of Lukas' health in November was not yet done in full. He said that the reason was that the KPK team was not able to bring large health check equipment such as an X-ray machine at that time.

"So Lukas Enembe was only examined externally. Because it was not possible for us to bring a lot

"So at that time, Lukas Enembe was only examined on the surface. Because it is not possible for us to bring many large tools to his house. So from that examination, it seems that the person in question is healthy and able to do the interview," Asep said.

Therefore, Asep requested that Lukas Enembe should immediately undergo treatment in Jakarta to determine his actual health condition.

"As Mr. Alex said, we will also accompany him here and if necessary, be referred abroad," he said.

In addition to the corruption case, the KPK is also investigating a number of suspicious transactions on Lukas Enembe's and his family's accounts.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) stated that it had found a number of suspicious transactions worth hundreds of billions of rupiah on Lukas' and his family's accounts. Among them is a transfer of around IDR 500 billion (about USD 34.5 million) to a casino in Singapore, Marina Bay Sands. (Albert Batlayeri)