Juliari Batubara, a serving minister for Social Affairs in Indonesia has been arrested for allegedly taking $1.2 million in bribes linked to food aid for those afflicted by coronavirus pandemic.
Batubara was named as a suspect after Indonesian anti-corruption agents seized suitcases, backpacks, and envelopes stuffed with cash equivalent to $1.2 million in a sting operation on Saturday.
He turned himself in on Sunday at the anti-corruption agency’s headquarters, becoming the second minister in President Joko Widodo’s government to be arrested over alleged graft in recent weeks.
Many Nigerians have been reacting to this development. While some say President Muhammadu Buhari should use any serving Nigerian Minister caught involved in corrupt dealings as an example to illustrate his war against graft, others say the president is already doing that.
According to this latter group, the recent arraignment of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal over alleged grass-cutting contract fraud is an lucid example of how Buhari has been fighting corruption.
