Corruption trial begins for former Indonesia IT minister over mobile phone tower project

By ACHMAD IBRAHIM and EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s anti-graft court has opened a trial for a former communication and information technology minister who was charged with corruption over the construction of mobile phone transmission towers in remote parts of the country. Prosecutors allege that Johnny G. Plate changed the terms of the $533 million procurement project and the number of construction sites without approval and that he personally enriched himself with $1.2 million. The construction project was initiated at the end of 2020 to provide mobile phone coverage to more than 7,900 blank spots in Indonesia’s outermost, underdeveloped and remote areas. Plate is the fifth minister from President Joko Widodo’s administrations to be charged with corruption.