Judge Rejects Syahrul Yasin Limpo's Exception

JAKARTA - The Panel of Judges at the Corruption Court rejected the objection or exception of former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) in the alleged corruption case at the Ministry of Agriculture in 2020-2023.

Apart from SYL, the panel of judges also did not accept the objection note of the other two defendants in the same case, namely the Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery of the Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hatta and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono.

"Declaring a note of objection from the defendants/law advisory team defendant Syahrul Yasin Limpo, defendant Muhammad Hatta, and defendant Kasdi Subagyono is unacceptable," said Chief Judge Rianto Adam Pontoh reading the interlocutory verdict at the Central Jakarta District Court, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, March 27.

The panel of judges assessed that the points of objection to SYL and other defendants had been included in the subject matter of the case which needed to be proven in court, so that the objection note could not be accepted.

On the other hand, the panel of judges assessed that the indictment contained information on the timing and place of the crime charged. Therefore, the indictment of the Public Prosecutor of the Corruption Eradication Commission is considered to have met the criteria for the provisions of Article 143 paragraph (2) letters a and b of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"Therefore, the public prosecutor's letter has been clear and complete about the criminal act charged to the defendant Syahrul Yasin Limpo, the defendant Muhammad Hatta, and the defendant Kasdi Subagyono," added Pontoh.

Based on the interim decision, the panel of judges ordered the examination of the SYL, Muhammad Hatta, and Kasdi Subagyono cases to be continued. The trial with the agenda of examining witnesses is scheduled for next week.

"Ordered Case Inspection Number 20, Number 21, Number 22/Pid.Sus-TPK/2024/PN Jkt.Pst on behalf of the defendant Syahrul Yasin Limpo, the defendant Muhammad Hatta, and the defendant Kasdi Subagyono to continue," said Pontoh.

SYL was charged with extortion and received gratuities totaling Rp44.5 billion in cases of alleged corruption at the Ministry of Agriculture between 2020 and 2023.

The extortion was carried out with Kasdi Subagyono as Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture for the period 2021'2023, and Muhammad Hatta as Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery of the Ministry of Agriculture in 2023, among others to pay SYL's personal needs.

SYL was charged with violating Article 12 letter ejuncto Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Eradication of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code (KUHP) in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.