Jakarta. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has seized Rp 106.3 billion ($6 million) in cash and other evidence in an alleged land bribery scheme involving property developer Summarecon Agung and senior officials at the Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Ministry.

Eight suspects have been detained in the case, including Summarecon Agung President Director Adrianto Pitojo Adhi, a ministry director general and the head of the Bogor Regency Land Office.

Four of the suspects have also been described to investigators as trusted associates of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister Nusron Wahid, although KPK has not accused the minister of involvement in the alleged scheme.

“In this series of arrests, the KPK team also secured evidence including electronic devices and cash worth approximately Rp 106.3 billion,” KPK Investigation Director Achmad Taufik Husein told a news conference in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Investigators allege that Adrianto offered bribes in an effort to resolve problems involving building-use rights, known as Hak Guna Bangunan (HGB), covering properties managed by Summarecon in Bogor Regency.

The properties were the subject of a dispute involving other parties who also claimed rights over some of the land and had taken the matter to the Administrative Court in Bandung.

The plaintiffs sought to block nine HGB certificates issued by the Bogor Regency Land Office, Taufik said.

“This case allegedly began with applications to extend building-use rights or convert them into ownership certificates for land managed by Summarecon in Bogor Regency,” Taufik said.

“Some of the land was allegedly still under dispute with several previous owners who are believed to hold ownership certificates for those properties.”

Alleged Rp 2 Billion Demand
Amid mediation efforts by the National Land Agency, which operates under the Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Ministry, Summarecon allegedly approached Bogor Regency Land Office Head Sontang Coin Manurung in an effort to have the certificates unblocked.

Through an intermediary, Sontang allegedly requested Rp 2 billion in exchange for lifting the block, according to investigators.

Summarecon allegedly offered Rp 1.5 billion instead.

“Summarecon was only willing to provide Rp 1.5 billion. So there was a negotiation in this case,” Taufik said.

KPK has not yet disclosed whether the negotiated payment was ultimately made or how much money, if any, changed hands in that particular transaction.

Suitcases Filled with Cash
Taufik said the cash seized during the investigation was recovered from several locations, with the largest amount found at the home of former Kebumen Regent Arif Sugianto, one of the eight suspects.

Investigators found several red suitcases containing Rp 31.86 billion, $2.61 million, S$1.97 million, 910 Saudi riyals and 981 Malaysian ringgit.

At the home of another suspect, businessman Rizal Pahlevi, investigators found Rp 896 million in cash.

KPK has not concluded that all the money seized constituted bribes or proceeds of corruption.

“Investigators are continuing to examine the origins and intended use of the money, as well as the parties suspected of receiving or providing it, in connection with the processing of land services at various levels,” Taufik said.

The other suspects are Sontang; Golkar Party politician Fahd El Fouz Arafiq; Land and Spatial Control and Enforcement Director General Lampri; and businessmen Muhammad Fakhry and Erwin.

Four Described as Minister's Trusted Associates
Taufik said investigators had received information describing Arif, Fahd, Fakhry and Erwin as “trusted associates” of a minister identified by the initials NW, referring to Nusron Wahid.

“This information is based on statements collected by the investigative team,” Taufik said.

KPK has not named Nusron as a suspect or alleged that he participated in the suspected bribery scheme.

Fahd is a senior Golkar politician who serves as the party's head of community organization affairs. He has previously been convicted in two separate corruption cases and served prison sentences in both.

His previous convictions involved bribing a member of the House of Representatives and corruption in the procurement of Qurans and computers at the Religious Affairs Ministry.

His younger sister, Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq, is currently standing trial as a defendant in a separate corruption case involving the Pekalongan regency administration.

Taufik said the land corruption investigation remained at an early stage and that investigators could name additional suspects as the case develops.

Second Summarecon Bribery Case
KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo said the investigation marks the second bribery case involving Summarecon.

In a separate case dating to 2022, Summarecon was implicated in payments made to secure permits for an apartment development in Yogyakarta. Company Vice President Oon Nusihono was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison.

“This is a classic modus operandi -- a company provides bribes to obtain land-related permits,” Budi said.

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