Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Andi Zulkarnaen Mallarangeng a suspect in the high-profile graft case centering on the construction of the Hambalang sports complex.
KPK spokeswoman Yuyuk Andriyati said on Monday that Andi Zulkarnaen, also known as Choel, had been charged with abuse of authority for personal or corporate gain in the infrastructure procurement for the sport complex in 2010-2012.
"The antigraft body decided to name him a suspect after finding two strong pieces of evidence. Next, we will summon several related witnesses," Yuyuk said, adding that the KPK was still calculating the amount of the state losses incurred.
In 2014, Choel's brother Andi Mallarangeng, a former sports and youth minister, was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of Rp 200 million (US$14,500) for involvement in the same case, making him the first active minister to be charged with graft.
Under Andi's tenure, the project was transformed from a modest single-year project worth Rp 125 billion into a multiyear project worth Rp 1.17 trillion.
The panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court found Andi guilty of abusing his authority to enrich himself in the Hambalang graft case and accepting a $550,000 kickback for the project through Choel.
Choel previously admitted receiving Rp 2 billion from Herman Prananto, president director of PT Global Daya Manunggal, a contractor company handling the Hambalang project.