Jakarta (ANTARA) - Youth and Sports Minister Dito Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo was summoned by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) on Monday to provide an explanation in connection with the base transceiver station corruption case in the Ministry of Communication and Informatics.

Wearing a white shirt and a black jacket, the minister arrived at 1 p.m. at the Special Crimes Unit's Round Building in the AGO Complex in Jakarta on Monday.

Ariotedjo greeted the reporters before entering the building to give his statement to investigators from the AGO's special crimes unit.

On a separate occasion, Ketut Sumedana, the head of the legal information center at the AGO, stated that Minister Ariotedjo was scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m., though the latter asked for a change in time due to an agenda that he was required to attend first.

"Hence, he (Ariotedjo) came right on time at 1 p.m.," he told the media some time after the minister arrived at the building.

He noted that the AGO had summoned Ariotedjo as a witness in the case of alleged corruption related to the base transceiver station and its supporting facilities by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics during the 2020-2022 period.

The youth and sports minister's questioning is a follow-up to the May 22, 2023, investigation reports and indictment letter regarding one of the defendants in the case, Irwan Hermawan, who serves as a commissioner at PT Solitechmedia Synergy, Sumedana noted.

"He is being investigated as a witness following an in-depth analysis of some investigation reports from some witnesses, as well as the indictment letter from some witnesses, which has been read, regarding a suspect who is now currently the defendant: IH (Irwan Hermawan)," he remarked.

Investigators from the AGO's special crimes unit have scheduled to question Minister Ariotedjo as a witness in the case of alleged corruption by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics during the 2020-2022 period.

"Yes, he will be questioned on Monday (July 3)," a member of the AGO's special crimes unit, Febrie Adriansyah, informed on Sunday.

Previously, Ariotedjo denied reports linking himself to the corruption case, which allegedly cost the state Rp8 trillion (around US$531.4 million).

"This is really vague and I don't know anything," he said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday.

Related news: AGO names seventh suspect in BTS graft case
Related news: Johnny Plate case has nothing to do with politics: Minister

Translator: Fath Putra Mulya, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Anton Santoso
Copyright © ANTARA 2023