KPK Prosecutor: Nurdin Abdullah Builds Mosque From Partner's Gratuity Money

JAKARTA - KPK public prosecutor Zainal Abidin at the Makassar Corruption Court said the inactive South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah used the gratuity money to build the Maros Botanical Garden mosque in Tompobulu District, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi.

"On the land purchased by the defendant from Andi Abdul Samad, a mosque was built on the initiative of the defendant, then formed the Pucak Mosque Construction Committee," said the public prosecutor, quoted by Antara, Monday, November 15.

In a virtual hearing with the agenda of reading the demands, the defendant Nurdin Abdullah was at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, while the prosecutor was at the Makassar Corruption Court, South Sulawesi.

In the context of building the mosque, the prosecutor continued, the defendant received money from several partners, including CSR from Bank Sulselbar, with a total receipt of the defendant amounting to Rp1 billion.

The KPK prosecutor revealed that Petrus Yalim as Director of PT Putra Jaya had known the inactive South Sulawesi governor since Nurdin served as Bantaeng Regent. This company has a job and an AMP (Asphalt Mixing Plant) in Bantaeng.

At the time of laying the groundwork for the Pucak Mosque, Nurdin's aide (Syamsul Bahri) told Petrus Yalim that Petrus could help build the mosque on Nurdin's land.

Petrus then expressed his willingness to provide Rp. 100 million in money by means of transfer to the account of the Kebon Raya Pucak Mosque Manager in the name of Mulia Trans Marga, PT Timur Jaya.

During the laying of the first stone for the construction of the mosque in Pucak Maros on Nurdin's land, Thiawudy Wikarso as the contractor owner of PT Tri Star Mandiri, who has also worked on projects in Bantaeng Regency and the South Sulawesi Provincial Government, gave Rp 100 million to Nurdin for the construction of the mosque by transfer to the account of the administrator of the Pucak Botanical Gardens Area Mosque Management.

Furthermore, the Director of Bank Sulselbar Amri Mauraga whom Nurdin met at the governor's house also provided CSR assistance to the Pucak Maros Mosque in the amount of Rp. 400 million which was deposited on December 8, 2020. The mosque was built on Nurdin's land.

Head of Bank Mandiri Panakkukang Branch Muhammad Ardi also received money from Nurdin's aide (Syamsul Bahri) that Nurdin wanted to donate to the account of the Pucak Maros Mosque Management at Bank Sulselbar for Rp. 300 million from the South Sulawesi Disaster Care account at Bank Mandiri belonging to Nurdin to the account number of the management Botanical Garden Mosque at Bank Sulselbar.

"So, the public prosecutor concluded that it was true that the defendant had received a gratuity of Rp. 1 billion from Petrus Yalim, Thiawudy Wikarso, the Directors of Bank Sulselbar, and the South Sulawesi Disaster Care account for the benefit of the defendant," said the prosecutor.

At the trial, Nurdin admitted that there was a purchase of land assets in mid-2020 which was located in the Puncak area, Tomobulu District, Maros Regency.

The purchase of the land used Nurdin's money or savings while serving as the Regent of Bantaeng plus the income from Nurdin's wife.

Nurdin said that the purchase of the land from the previous land owner on behalf of Andi Abdul Samad covering an area of about 13 hectares or 7 plots of land for Rp. 2.2 billion, which was paid in cash.

In addition to buying Andi Abdul Samad's land, Nurdin also bought 19,000 square meters of land from Aminuddin alias Yamang for Rp. 300 million or around Rp. 15,800.00 per meter in Arra Hamlet, Tompobulu Village, Tompobulu District, Maros Regency by cash payment.

Furthermore, in July 2020, Nurdin purchased land owned by Muhammad Nusran of about 3.2 hectares behind Andi Abdul Samad's land in Arra Hamlet, Tompobulu Village, Tompobulu District, Maros Regency for Rp544 million.

"The Public Prosecutor is of the opinion that the purchase of land carried out by the defendant contained irregularities in such a way, namely that the defendant paid in cash for the purchase of the land, the money was taken from the safe at the governor's office," said the prosecutor.

Nurdin also did not report the money for the purchase of the land in the LHKPN, so it is reasonable to suspect that the money did not come from legal and legitimate income.

Because the land purchased by the defendant should be suspected of being obtained illegally and illegally and the defendant's desire to donate the mosque that stands on the defendant's land, the prosecutor stated that all of the land assets must be confiscated for the state which will then be granted to the Sulawesi government. South.

"The mosque that stands on the land can still be used for the benefit of the community," said the prosecutor.

In this case, Nurdin Abdullah was charged with 6 years in prison plus a fine of IDR 500 million, subsidiary of 6 months in prison and the obligation to pay compensation of IDR 3.187 billion and 350,000 Singapore dollars, subsidiary of 1 year in prison.

Nurdin was also asked to revoke his right to be elected in public office for 5 years after completing his main sentence.

Nurdin is proven guilty of accepting bribes worth 150,000 Singapore dollars (approximately Rp1,596 billion) and Rp2.5 billion as well as gratuities worth Rp7,587 billion and 200,000 Singapore dollars (approximately Rp2,128 billion) for a total of around Rp13,812 billion.