KPK Opens Opportunities To Investigate TPPU In Edhy Prabowo's Benur Export Bribe Scandal

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) opens the opportunity to apply the article of money laundering crime (TPPU) against the former Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Edhy Prabowo.

Eddy currently holds the status of a suspect in a case of alleged bribery for the export of fries or lobster seeds.

Acting KPK spokesman for the field of prosecution Ali Fikri said that the KPK is currently gathering evidence before apprehending the former Gerindra Party politician.

"It is possible to apply other crimes, in this case the TPPU, as long as the existing facts can be concluded that there is sufficient preliminary evidence," Ali said in a written statement to reporters, Thursday, January 28.

Despite opening up opportunities, Ali emphasized that the KPK is still focused on efforts to prove the bribery article against the suspects in the case that ensnared Edhy Prabowo.

"Currently investigations are still focused on proving the articles of bribery with the suspects at this time," he said.

Previously reported, recently the KPK was investigating the alleged use of bribes given by exporters of fries or lobster seeds to Edhy Prabowo.

In fact, the KPK later suspected that Edhy used the bribes he received from fry exporters to buy and drink liquor and wine with his personal secretary, Amiril Mukminin.

The wine that Edhy and Amiril bought and drank was said to have come from a former Gerindra Party candidate, Ery Cahyaningrum, who had a wine sales business. For this reason, the KPK also summoned Ery to be questioned as a witness.

"Ery Cahyaningrum was confirmed related to the business activities of the witness who sold beverage products, including the type of wine allegedly bought and consumed by the suspect EP (Edhy Prabowo) and the suspect AM (Amiril Mukminin), where the source of the money was allegedly given by parties who applied for the export license of fry in KKP (Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries), "said Ali Fikri some time ago.

Apart from examining Ery, KPK investigators also examined the private sector Alayk Mubarrok. During this investigation, the anti-graft commission searched for him to find out the flow of funds allegedly received by Edhy Prabowo and Amiril Mukminin whose handover was later received by Edhy's wife, Iis Rosita Dewi.

As previously reported, in the case of the export bribery of lobster fry or lobster seeds, Edhy Prabowo was named a suspect in receiving bribes along with five other people, namely: Stafsus Minister of KKP Safri (SAF) and Andreau Pribadi Misanta (APM); Management of PT Aero Citra Kargo (PT ACK) Siswadi (SWD); The staff of the wife of the Minister of KKP, Ainul Faqih, and Amiril Mukminin (AM).

Meanwhile, the giver of the bribe was the Director of PT Dua Putra Perkasa Pratama (PT DPPP) Suharjito (SJT).

Edhy was named a suspect because he was suspected of accepting bribes from companies that had been issued a lobster seed export license using a forwarder company and was kept in one account of up to Rp9.8 billion and US $ 100 thousand from Suharjito through Safri and Amiril.

The money that goes to the account of PT ACK, which is currently the sole cargo service provider for the export of lobster seeds, is then withdrawn to the accounts of PT ACK holders, namely Ahmad Bahtiar and Amri, for a total of Rp9.8 billion.

This money is used for shopping for luxury goods by Edhy and his wife in Honolulu, USA from November 21 to 23, 2020, amounting to around IDR 750 million, including Rolex watches, Tumi and LV bags, road bikes, and Old Navy clothes.