"The money was given in cash in the US dollar."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confiscated US$550,000 from Andi Zulkarnaen Mallarangeng (Choel Mallarangeng), who is a witness in the high profile Hambalang graft case.

Choel has been questioned by the anti graft body as witness in the case with his brother former sports and youth affairs minister Andi Mallarangeng as a suspect.

The money which was received by Choel from a senior official of the sport and youth affairs ministry Deddy Kusdinar, who has also been declared as suspect in the case, was confiscated by KPK on Feb 25, spokesman of the anti graft body Johan Budi said here on Monday.

Choel said he received the money from Dedy on the occasion of Choel`s birthday party on 28 August 2010.

Choel also admitted being given Rp2 billion by a commissioner of PT Global Daya Manunggal Herman Prananto in May 2010.

"The money was given in cash in the US dollar," Johan said.

He said KPK is still investigating how the money is linked to the graft case and to Choel, who is investigated as a witness.

"The money was confiscated because of its link to the Hambalang case but it does not necessarily mean that the person concerned is involved in the Hambalang graft case," he said.

Investigation is still in process and KPK has not come to a conclusion if the money could put Choel as a suspect or not, he added.

"KPK could not yet make a conclusion if Choel had committed a crime by receiving the money," he said.

This morning Choel was summoned again by KPK to explain the sources of the money.

"It is the rights of the investigators as the money is connected with the process of investigations," Choel said later in the day.

He denied that the money had gone to his brother Andi Mallarangeng.

Choel was implicated in the graft case by Mindo Rosalina Mannulang, who is serving a 2.5 year jail term in a related case.

Mindo said she gave Wafid Muharram, the secretary of the ministry Rp2 billion, which were originally intended to be given to Choel to rig the tender of Hambalang project in favor of the company owned by former lawmaker Muhammad Nazaruddin.

Mindo was working for the company of Nazaruddin, who is also serving 7 years jail term for involvement in a related graft case.

Wafid, however, had returned the money to PT Anak Negeri, a company owned by Nazaruddin, former treasurer of the ruling Democratic Party.
(Uu.AS/H-ASG/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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