Complete Dossier, Destroyer Of South Sulawesi Faruhumpenai Nature Reserve Immediately Tried

MAKASSAR - Investigators from the Environmental and Forestry Security and Law Enforcement Center (Gakkum) (KLHK) for the Sulawesi region delegated the suspect and evidence with the initials FS (45), to the public prosecutor (JPU) of the East Luwu District Attorney.

The FS suspect is a financier and heavy equipment tenant in the Faruhumpenai Nature Reserve (CA) vandalism case.

"Previously, investigators had carried out Phase II against two other suspects, IL (49) and ED (43), who acted as field persons in charge in this case with a threat of five years in prison," said Head of the Sulawesi Region of the KLHK Gakkum Center, Aswin Bangun in Makassar, Saturday, July 7, confiscated by Antara.

According to him, the two suspects had fought against the law by filing a pretrial lawsuit at the Malili District Court (PN) over the determination of the suspect by investigators from the Sulawesi Region of the KLHK Gakkum Center, but the Malili District Court judge rejected their lawsuit.

On Wednesday, April 24, the decision of the Malili District Court Number 1 / Pid.Pra / 2024 / PN MII read out by Judge Ardy Dwi Cahyono, SH., and assisted by Judge Sitti Kalsum, SH stated that the applicant's exception was unacceptable and rejected the pretrial application in its entirety.

This case stems from a report from the South Sulawesi KSDA Center, as the founder of the CA Faruhumpenai area, regarding land clearing activities for oil palm plantations.

Responding to the report, Balai Gakkum KLHK Sulawesi Region carried out joint operations and succeeded in securing one excavator unit and one chainsaw unit, as well as two field persons with the initials IL (49) and ED (43).

In this case, investigators have named five perpetrators as suspects, namely IL (49), ED (43), and FS (45), whose cases have been transferred to the East Luwu District Attorney and will be tried immediately.

Meanwhile, the other two suspects, IW and RB, who are land owners, have the status of a wanted list (DPO) because they are absent from the summons of investigators from the Sulawesi Region of the KLHK Gakkum Center.

Aswin said IW had now been arrested after being on the run for three months, while RB was still in search (DPO).

Investigators from the Balai Gakkum KLHK ensnared the perpetrators for violating Article 78 paragraph (3) in conjunction with Article 50 paragraph (2) letter a Law no. 41/1999 concerning Forestry which has been amended in Article 36 number 17 and number 19 of Law no. 6/2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law no. 2/2022 concerning Job Creation into Law, and/or Article 40 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 19 paragraph (1) of Law no. 5/1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems Jo Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 of the Criminal Code with a maximum penalty of five years and/or a maximum fine of Rp7.5 billion.

Aswin expressed his gratitude to the partners, namely the South Sulawesi Regional Police, the Prosecutor's Office, the TNI, and the South Sulawesi BBKSDA as well as all the people who helped in handling this case.

Currently, the files of suspects IL (49), ED (43), and FS (45) have been transferred to the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the East Luwu District Attorney to account for their actions at the court.

"We hope that the punishment given can provide a deterrent effect to the perpetrators," said Aswin.

In addition, he continued, his party also continues to develop the possibility of the involvement of other actors, investors, and intellectual actors who participated in the destruction of CA Faruhumpenai for oil palm plantations.