Indonesia’s communications minister detained over alleged corruption

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Authorities in Indonesia on Wednesday arrested the Southeast Asian nation’s communication and informatics minister over alleged corruption charges.

Johnny G. Plate, 66, was “named a suspect and detained by prosecutors for a graft scandal related to the procurement of telecommunication towers and 4G internet infrastructure,” the Jakarta Globe news website reported.

The corruption has allegedly been committed under Information and Telecommunication Accessibility Agency, or BAKTI, run under Johnny's ministry.

Kuntadi, investigations chief in the case, at Indonesia's Attorney General’s Office (AGO) said: “We conclude that there is enough evidence to declare that he (Johnny) was involved in a corruption scandal related to BTS (base transceiver station) and 4G internet infrastructure projects in his capacity as the budget guarantor and a minister."

“Investigators today altered his status from a witness to a suspect," he added.

Johnny belongs to National Democratic Party, or Nasdem Party, and will be detained for the next 20 days for investigations.

Indonesia’s top public prosecutor has said the detention of Johnny, minister since October 2019, was “purely justified by the rule of law.”

Ketut Sumedana, a spokesman for AGO, said: "The decision to name JGP (Johnny G. Plate) a suspect and detain him is purely justified by the rule of law, not by any political motivation.”