Investigating Allegations Of Money Laundering, NTB Police Freezes Accounts Of Bandar Sabu Couple From Mataram

Mandari and her husband, I Gede Bayu Pratama, coupled drug dealers from Mataram while undergoing trial on Thursday 3 November 2022. (ANTARA/Dhimas B.P.)

West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police have frozen the banking accounts of two convicted shabu-shabu dealers from Mataram named Ni Nyoman Juliandari alias Mandari and I Gede Bayu Pratama.

Director of Drug Investigation at the NTB Police, Kombes Pol. Deddy Supriadi, said that the suspension of accounts was an attempt by the police to investigate allegations of money laundering (TPPU) from the drug business belonging to the husband and wife (couple).

"So, we have submitted this account suspension to the bank," said Deddy in Mataram, NTB, Friday, July 21, as reported by Antara.

After the accounts of the two defendants were frozen, Deddy said the NTB Police would coordinate with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).

"Later together with PPATK, transactions related to the drug business will be investigated," he said.

In addition to freezing accounts for Mandari and I Gede Bayu Pratama, Deddy said the NTB Police also collected data on valuable assets belonging to the two convicts.

"So far, we can only collect data on his vehicle. For others, it is still in process," he said.

In handling the TPPU case from the drug business belonging to the two convicts, Deddy turned off the NTB Regional Police to prioritize a professional attitude according to legal procedures.

"What is clear is that there is no selective logging in this case, we handle the case professionally," he said.

Previously, the NTB Regional Police had postponed the investigation into the alleged money laundering offense carried out by Mandari and her husband following the decision of the Mataram District Court which stated that the two were free from all charges by the prosecutor.

However, the acquittal received a response from the public prosecutor by submitting an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Based on data from the official website of the Supreme Court's website, the cassation judge canceled the acquittal for Mandari and Bayu.

The cassation decision is registered with case Number: 1548 K/Pid.Sus/2023. The Supreme Court distributed the verdict information on June 7, 2023.

In addition to canceling the acquittal, the Supreme Court Judge in his decision to hear the case himself by stating that the actions of the two defendants were proven to have violated Article 132 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 114 paragraph (1) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics.

By stating this, the cassation judge sentenced Mandari to seven years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to three months in prison.

Meanwhile, Bayu, the judge, sentenced him to four years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to three months in prison.

With the cassation decision which has permanent legal force, the NTB Police will resume the legal process for the two convicts.