Trial of the alleged queen of Rp5 billion investment fraud continues, the judge rejects the objection.

The trial of the alleged fraud and embezzlement of investment funds worth Rp5 billion in Surabaya/ Photo: IST

SURABAYA - The Surabaya District Court panel of judges rejected all the objections filed by the defendants, Agustin Widyawati and Ranto Hensa Barlin Sidauruk, in the case of alleged fraud and embezzlement of investment funds worth Rp5 billion.

The verdict was read in a trial held at the Surabaya District Court. With the rejection of all objections from the defendant, the case is confirmed to continue to the main examination stage.

The panel of judges, headed by Pujiono with members Edi Saputra Pelawi and M. Yusuf, considered that the indictment letter prepared by the Public Prosecutor had met the formal and material requirements so that it was worthy of further examination at trial.

Previously, the legal advisory team of Agustin Widyawati and Ranto Hensa Barlin Sidauruk filed an objection to the indictment letter of the Public Prosecutor Damang Anubowo.

In his exception, the legal advisor argued that the indictment contained formal defects because it was considered unclear, vague, and combined a number of events without detailing the role of each defendant.

On this basis, the defendant asked the panel of judges to declare the indictment letter null and void and inadmissible.

However, the Public Prosecutor rejected all of these arguments and emphasized that the indictment had been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the criminal procedure law.

The prosecutor also emphasized that the debt payment obligation postponement (PKPU) process and the ongoing civil lawsuit did not remove the alleged criminal acts charged to the two defendants.

After considering all the arguments from both parties, the panel of judges finally decided to reject all the defendant's objections and ordered the trial to continue to the proof stage.

This case began in January 2019 when Ranto Hensa Barlin Sidauruk, who was a college friend of the victim Salim Himawan Saputra, together with Agustin Widyawati offered an investment product called a non-bank deposit through PT OSO Sekuritas Indonesia.

The victim was promised a fixed profit of 13 percent per year with a guarantee of shares that were claimed to be worth up to 200 percent of the investment funds deposited.

Because he was tempted by the promise of profit and guarantee, the victim then handed over an investment fund of Rp5 billion to the defendants.

However, after the funds were deposited, the investment was allegedly not carried out as promised and the victim's funds could not be returned.

The prosecutor assessed that the act fulfilled the elements of the alleged crime of fraud and embezzlement as charged in the indictment.

The judge has also seen that the investment is suspected of being a criminal act of fraud committed by the two defendants.

In the next trial, the Public Prosecutor will present a number of witnesses and evidence to prove the charges against Agustin Widyawati and Ranto Hensa Barlin Sidauruk.

One of the victims, Salim Himawan Saputra, admitted that he believed Agustin Widyawati was a figure who played an important role in the investment offered to him.

According to Salim, Agustin's name is also rumored to have appeared in a number of other investment cases in Indonesia.

Salim appealed to the public who felt they were victims to fight together to try Agustin at the Surabaya PN to provide a deterrent effect.