Ex-agriculture minister held for $800,000 fund embezzlement

AFP reported that an Indonesian ex-minister had been arrested for $800,000 fund embezzlement.

Indonesia ranked 110th out of 180 nations in Transparency International’s latest corruption perception index.

Former agriculture minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo resigned last week because of the allegations leveled at him, and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) formally named him a suspect on Wednesday.

He was detained on Thursday, with local media showing him being handcuffed into the commission’s offices in Jakarta.

KPK spokesman Ali Fikri would not confirm if the commission had arrested Limpo on formal charges. Still, he told reporters that the commission detained him because of concerns he would flee or destroy evidence.

He said KPK investigators were still questioning Limpo on Friday.

He is the sixth minister to be investigated for corruption since President Joko Widodo took office in 2014.

The Indonesian leader told reporters Friday that “there must be reasons” for Limpo’s arrest.

“Let us respect the legal proceedings,” he said, according to state news agency Antara.