Former Sports Minister Suspected of Updating WhatsApp Status From Behind Bars
Jakarta. Former Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi is being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, on Tuesday for allegedly updating his WhatsApp status from behind bars.
Despite being detained at the Guntur Prison in Jakarta – charged with receiving bribes while he was minister, a WhatsApp status update was uploaded from Imam's cellphone on Thursday at 6.23 pm. Immediate inspection by the prison's head warden led to the discovery of a switched-off cellphone in his cell, according to KPK spokesman Ali Fikri.
"Imam denied using the cellphone or updating his Whatsapp status," Ali said at the KPK headquarters in South Jakarta on Tuesday.
The cellphone was confiscated and the cell's warden interrogated on Thursday night.
If the allegation is proven true, the former sports minister will be slapped with disciplinary sanctions.
Ali said graft suspects are not allowed to bring any electronic device into their prison cell.
Earlier this year, the KPK banned family visits for politician Nyoman Dharmantara – who was facing charges of bribery related to a garlic import permit – after he was caught smuggling a cellphone into his prison cell.
Imam reportedly uploaded a picture of himself and his wife on a hajj trip to update his WhatsApp status.
"Memories from last year's hajj trip after a seven-year wait. Just a normal hajj pilgrim accompanying my beloved wife and frail aunt. I pray that all my Muslim friends get to visit Mecca," the caption read.
In February, Imam and his aide Miftahul Ulum were charged with accepting Rp 11.5 billion ($800,000) in bribes from the Indonesian and National Sports Committee (KONI) and an unlawful gratuity of Rp 8.64 billion.
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