South Sumatra Prosecutor's Office Detains 2 Former Bosses Of PT BMU Suspects Of Cement Corruption

BETWEEN PHOTOS/Nova Wahyudi.

The investigating prosecutor of the South Sumatra High Prosecutor's Office has detained two former bosses of the company PT Baturaja Multi Utama (BMU) as suspects in the alleged corruption case in the distribution of cement in 2017-2021.

Head of the Legal Information Section of the South Sumatra Prosecutor's Office, Vanny Yulia Eka Sari, said the two suspects were Laurencus Sianipar as former President Director of PT BMU (2018) and Budi Oktarita as former Head of Finance of PT BMU (2016-2017).

"This afternoon he was examined as a witness, and (Tonight) his status has been upgraded to suspect, immediately he was detained for the next 20 days at the Pakjo Detention Center in Palembang," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 7.

Vanny explained that both of them were named suspects after investigators pocketed the adequacy of evidence which was strengthened by the testimony of 15 witnesses and experts.

Based on the process of examining investigating prosecutors, he continued, the suspects are strongly suspected of being involved in distribution irregularities and cement management which is the responsibility of their company from 2017-2021.

It is known that PT BMU is a subsidiary of PT Semen Baturaja for the distribution and management of cement, which is based at the Ogan Permata Indah Complex, Jakabaring, Palembang, South Sumatra.

"Even the investigating prosecutor found the potential loss to state finances caused by the irregularities reached around Rp. 30 billion," he said.

However, he said, the amount of the value of the state's financial losses in detail is currently still in the process of calculating the South Sumatra Province Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

For their actions, the suspects are suspected of violating Article 2 paragraph (1), Article 3, Juncto Article 18 concerning the eradication of non-criminal corruption number 20 of 2001, Juncto Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code (one).

Then, Article 8 Juncto Article 18 concerning the eradication of non-criminal corruption number 20 of 2001, Juncto Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code (second).