Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will summon four witnesses to be questioned over the bribing of an auditor of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to give unqualified (WTP)opinion for the 2016 financial report of the Ministry of Rural and Backward Area Development and Transmigration (PDDT).

"The four would be investigated as witnesses in the case of graft suspect Rochmadi Saptogiri (RSG)," KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said here on Tuesday.

Rochmadi is a senior auditor of BPK caught red handed earlier by KPK receiving bribe from Inspector General of the PDDT Ministry Sugitodi. Rochmadi and Sugito have been named suspects in the graft case.

The four witnesses are Director of Economy at the Directorate General of Backward Area Development (PDT) M Nur, Director of Facilities and Infrastructure at the PDT Directorate General Novi, Director of Planning and Identification at the PDT Directorate General Wahid, and Director of Human Resources at the PDT Directorate General Priyono.

KPK is probing the other methods of bribing officials of BPK as it has indicated Rochmadi might not the only one of BPK officials involved in the graft case.

Febri said so far KPK has questioned 18 witnesses related to the graft case and deeper investigations had been made on suspicious meetings between officials of the PDDT Ministry and BPK, as well as internal meetings among officials of the Ministry.

After 24 hours investigations, KPK came to a conclusion there had been bribery and promises given related to BPKs investigation of the 2016 financial report of the Ministry, and as a result four people were named suspects," KPK deputy chairman Laode M Syarif told a news conference also attened by KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo, and BPK chairman Moermahadi Soerja Djanegara and deputy BPK chairman Bahrullah Akbar.

"The four suspects are Sugito, Jarot Budi Prabowo, a senior official of the PDDT Ministry, two senior auditors of BPK receiving the bribe money Rochmadi Saptogiri and Ali Sadli," Syarif said.

Sugito and Jarot that gave the bribe money are facing a jail term of up to five years with a fine of up to Rp250 million each; and Rochmadi and Ali are facing a jail term of up to 20 years with a fine of up to Rp1 billion each if found guilty.

The case had badly tarnished the reputation of BPK as the state auditor and cast doubt on WTP opinions it has given to financial reports of other government agencies.

"It is not known since when BPK auditors have received money to give the WTP opinion," an observer said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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