HEADLINE: JAKARTA, Indonesia- Anti-Graft Official Named Suspect for Taking Bribe

Jakarta. In a very rare case, the Corruption Eradication Commission or KPK announced on Thursday it has arrested its own investigator for allegedly taking bribe.

Stepanus Robin Pattuju was named suspect on charge of accepting bribe from a mayor in North Sumatra who was facing prosecution for a separate corruption case.

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Stepanus, a middle-ranking police officer hired by the KPK, allegedly accepted Rp 1.3 billion ($89,500) from Tanjungbalai Mayor M Syahrial, who came to him asking help to drop a corruption case at the city government,

“SRP has promised the mayor that the KPK will halt corruption investigation in the Tanjungbalai government,” KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri said in a news conference in Jakarta on Thursday evening, referring to the suspect by initials.

Stepanus shared the ill-gotten money with a lawyer identified as Maskur Husain, Firli said.

The money was sent through multiple bank transfers – at least 59 times – since October last year.

The city government has earlier come under KPK scrutiny for alleged fraudulent job promotion and recruitment.

“On behalf of the KPK, I apologize to all Indonesian people for this alleged corruption committed by a KPK investigator,” Firli said.

Stepanus is now being detained at a KPK facility in South Jakarta.

In addition to the criminal charges, the KPK is pursuing internal ethic trial against Stepanus, Firli said.

The mayor and the lawyer were both named suspect for the same case.