TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi admitted he spent the ministry's budget to finance his umrah travel. The minister also performed the Islamic pilgrimage with his personal assistant, Miftahul Ulum, and several ministry’s officials.

During a hearing on Tuesday, April 30, on the alleged graft case involving the 2018 grants project in the National Sports Committee (KONI), Imam initially claimed he visited Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to meet the invitation from Asian Paragliding Federation and then performed umrah.

“Is umrah categorized as an official trip?” the prosecutor questioned Imam who was standing as a witness for a defendant KONI secretary-general Ending Fuad Hamidy.

“I was attending Asian Paragliding’s event,” said Imam.

“My question is, is umrah listed as an official trip or not?” the prosecutor asked again.

“The invitation is an official trip. As for umrah, it’s a Muslim [pilgrimage],” Imam answered, admitting his umrah trip was not included in his official trip.

“So you have performed umrah using the budget of the Ministry of Youth and Sports?”

“Yes,” the minister said.

After hearing Imam’s confession, the prosecutor questioned several money withdrawals in Mecca. “On date 27, similar to the testimony of KONI secretary-general, there was Rp50 million withdrawal in Mecca, casino cafe, and several places in Mecca,” said the prosecutor.

In this graft case, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named five people as suspects, namely the ministry's deputy IV Mulyana, the ministry's commitment-making official Adhi Purnomo, and the ministry's staffer Eko Triyanto as the bribe recipients. Mulyana was also charged as the suspect for receiving gratification.

Further, the suspected bribers were Ending Fuad Hamidy and the committee general treasurer Jhonny E. Awuy. The five suspects had undergone investigation process. Ending and Johnny had gone through trials, while Mulyana, Adhi, and Eko had entered to the prosecution stage.

ANDITA RAHMA