Former Minister Plans to Cut Deal With Prosecutors in Indonesia's Sports Council Scandal

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The graft trial of disgraced former Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi has taken a new twist after he offered to cut a deal with prosecutors.

“I swear to help the judges, prosecutors and the Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK] find the parties behind the graft scandal that cost the state Rp. 11.5 billion (USD 806,494.02) as a 'Justice Collaborator',” Imam said during a virtual plea for his defense on Friday, June 19.

Denying guilt

According to Antara news agency, Imam denied any wrongdoing. “I swear on the Al-Qur’an that I am not the party to gain bribes and kickbacks,” he said. “I was uninvolved, unaware, much less asked, ordered, or received any of the funds in question.”

Also read: KPK Demands 10 Year Sentence For Disgraced Former Minister

“As the main defendant, I urged prosecutors to confront Ulum, [former KONI Secretary General] Ending Fuad Hamidy and [KONI Treasurer] Johnny E. Awuy and others in the case to crosslist our accounts,” Imam said. “But they turned down my request because of time constraints.”

Imam said that Indonesian badminton great Taufik Hidayat should also be prosecuted as he acted as a courier to give the funds from KONI to the Youth and Sports Ministry. 

Citing a clean record

Imam thanked President Joko Widodo for appointing him Youth and Sports Minister during his first term between 2014–2019.

“Jokowi never reprimanded me,” said Imam, using the President’s nickname. ”During my tenure, Indonesian sports made strides in Asia and the wider world.”