Ministry secretary general a suspect in corruption case

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Thursday that it had named Waryono Karno, former Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, as a suspect in a corruption case.

The KPK said in a statement on that it had found at least two evidences of corruption committed by Waryono Karno related to activities at the ministry and other activities.

?The suspect WK as (then) Secretary General of the MEMR is suspected to have received presents or pledges which are known or strongly believed to be related to his position and (it was) in conflict with his obligation and task in the activities at the MEMR and other activities,? the agency said.

The suspect has thus been accused of Chapter 12B and/or Chapter II of Law No. 31/1999 on Corruption Crimes Eradication, the agency added.

Waryono?s office was raided by KPK one day after the arrest of now suspended SKK Migas Chairman Rudi Rubiandini in August of last year. Rudi was caught red handed receiving bribes from a Singaporean oil trader. The KPK then claimed to have discovered US$200,000 in cash in his office, which was suspected be bribes.

He has been questioned several times by KPK as part of the investigation into the bribery scandal involving Rudi.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon