President Director Of PT Meratus Line Becomes Suspect In Employee Arrest Case, Lawyer Says

SURABAYA - The attorney for the President Director of PT Meratus Line Slamet Rahardjo, Tis'ad Apriyandi, stated that he respects the legal process regarding his client who was named a suspect in the alleged case of confinement of an employee.

"PT Meratus Line complies with and respects the ongoing legal process," Tis'ad told reporters in Surabaya as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 16.

According to him, on February 9, 2022, his party has also reported cases of embezzlement and money laundering for the theft of diesel fuel from ships belonging to PT Meratus by a number of employees to the East Java Regional Police (Polda Jatim).

In this case, on June 27, several suspects have been named.

PT Meratus Line's Head of Legal, Donny Wibisono said, the case that dragged the President Director of PT Meratus Line as a suspect in the alleged confinement of an employee, started with the theft of diesel fuel (BBM).

He explained that in early 2022 he received reports of theft of diesel fuel from his ships by a number of employees which caused huge losses.

Then on January 24, 2022, Edi Setyawan (ES) received recognition as one of the employees involved in the theft.

"Because of his confession, he received threats from a number of other employees who were involved in the theft of diesel fuel. So he asked for protection so that we secured him at the Meratus Office from February 4 to 8, 2022," he said.

Meanwhile, in the case that caused the Meratus Line President Director Slamet Rahardjo to become a suspect, Edi Setyawan was listed as a victim of confinement in the Meratus Building from February 4-8, 2022.

The case was reported by Mlati Muryani, wife of Edi Setyawan, to the Tanjung Perak Surabaya Resort Police (Polres) on February 7, 2022.

Mlati felt that her husband was being held by the management of Meratus Line after being asked to come with three types of certificates and Rp570 million in savings from his home and forced to sign several letters. After being told to go home alone, her husband remained in the Meratus Building.

Until February 7, because her husband did not return home, Mlati reported to the Tanjung Perak Surabaya Police on suspicion of being held captive by the Meratus Line management.

Following up on reports, the Surabaya Tanjung Perak Port Police on August 9 named the President Director of PT Meratus Line Slamet Rahardjo as a suspect for the alleged crime of depriving a person of independence, as referred to in Article 333 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).

"We named the suspect after we found two pieces of evidence," said Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tanjung Perak Port Police, Surabaya AKP Arief Ryzki Wicaksana.