KPK Questions Energy Minister As Witness In Bribery Case

Jakarta, Dec 2 (Antara) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik on Monday as a witness in a bribery case involving the former Chief of Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory special task force Rudi Rubiandini. Minister Jero Wacik arrived at the KPK building at 10:10 a.m. and headed straight inside. Apart from summoning Minister Jero, KPK officials also questioned the Secretary General of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Waryono Karyo. The KPK has named former Chief of Special Task Forces for the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory (SKK Migas) Rudi Rubiandini as a suspect in the money laundering case. "After conducting an investigation, we also found evidence of money laundering having been conducted by suspect Rudi Rubiandini," KPKs spokesman Johan Budi revealed. In doing so, Rudi has allegedly violated Regulation Number 8/2010 related to money laundering. He was also named as a suspect in a corruption case on Aug. 14 after being caught red handed for receiving a bribe worth US$ 200,000 from the commissioner of PT Kernel Indonesia Simon Tanjaya. The bribe had been delivered via Rudi`s golf coach Deviardi the night before. Earlier, KPK officials had seized some of Rudi's assets, namely a house in Menteng Dalam (South Jakarta), a house in Bandung city (West Java province), cash worth 127,000 Singapore dollars, US$90,000, a luxurious BMW motorcycle, US$350,000 in a Bank Mandiri deposit box and 180 grams of gold from Rudi`s deposit box at his office in the SKK Migas building. During a recent court session, Rudi had admitted that he received US$300,000 in bribe money from Simon Tandjaya via Rudi`s golf coach Deviardi. "I received US$300,000, of which US$200,000 was given to some parliament members of Commission VII," Rudi had said.