Jakarta. A regent in North Sumatra province who is also a politician of the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) was arrested Thursday morning along with several other individuals for alleged bribery.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Labuhanbatu Regent Erik Adtrada Ritonga and four other individuals were detained following a raid in the regency.

"The KPK has arrested several state officials in Labuhanbatu regency for allegedly accepting bribes," KPK Deputy Chairman Nurul Ghufron said in Jakarta.

The detainees include Erik, the head of the Labuhanbatu Health Department, a local councilor, a businessman, and a personal assistant. 

The KPK typically identifies arrested individuals by their initials until the preliminary investigation is concluded and they are officially charged with corruption.

Nurul said investigators seized banknotes during the raid, but he didn’t go into details.

In his financial disclosure, Erik has reported a personal wealth of Rp 15.5 billion.

Erik, 43, was elected regent in 2020 and two years later he was appointed as the head of the Nasdem's district chapter in Labuhanbatu.

Before getting involved in politics, he studied medicine at the University of North Sumatra and began a career as a doctor.

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