Denny Indrayana Believes Mardani Maming's Case Is Not Bribery: It's A Business Transaction

JAKARTA - Mardani Maming's attorney, Denny Indrayana, believes that the case against the former Regent of Tanah Bumbu was not bribery but a business transaction.

"I am grateful to the KPK for presenting this witness, confirming that what is happening here is a business transaction," said Denny after the pretrial hearing at the South Jakarta District Court (PN), Friday, July 22.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) presented a banking expert and former Chairman of the Center for Transaction Reports and Analysis (PPATK) Yunus Husein in the trial of a pretrial lawsuit filed by the legal team of Mardani H. Maming.

In his statement, Yunus explained the characteristics of companies that are used as tools for money laundering or criminal acts, such as poor bookkeeping and always using cash in transactions. Denny claimed that the evidence was not found in the Mardani case.

"Well, in this case the underlying is clear, the payment is not cash, bank account, the payer is clear, the recipient is clear, the agreement is there, the books are recorded, the company is indeed engaged in that field. We can prove that," said Denny as quoted by Antara.

Mardani's party will also show evidence of the transactions alleged by the KPK at the next trial, he added.

The KPK has named Mardani H. Maming as a suspect in a bribery case related to the granting of a mining business permit (IUP) in Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan.

The bribery was allegedly disguised by the transaction between PT PAR and PT TSP which cooperated with PT PCN in managing the coal port with PT Angsana Terminal Utama (ATU).

Mardani's legal team denied the allegation by stating that there was a clear business relationship in the agreement between PT PCN and PT PAR and PT TSP.

Mardani also claimed that there was no other evidence that could explain that the General Treasurer of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) was the beneficiary of the business activities of PT PAR and PT TSP during his tenure as Regent of Tanah Bumbu.