Sighting Of Rp27.4 Billion In Replacement Money From Shrimp Pond Corruption

The convict George Gunawan handed over the replacement money for corruption in aquaculture cultivation of Rp. 27.4 billion and Rp. 200 million. (ANTARA/HO-Puspenkum of the Attorney General's Office)

JAKARTA - The Attorney General's Office for Asset Recovery Center together with the West Java High Prosecutor's Office and the Cirebon District Attorney's Office handed over Rp27.4 billion and Rp200 million in replacement money from the convict George Gunawan.

The head of the Attorney General's Office for Legal Information, Leonard Eben Ezer Simanjuntak, said the replacement money was derived from a corruption case involving the procurement of pilot shrimp farming activities at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) in 2012.

"The convict George Gunawan is the Director of PT Tambak Mas Makmur who was involved in a criminal case of corruption in the shrimp farming aid fund in Bungko Lor Village, Kapetakan District, Cirebon Regency in 2012," Leonard said, Monday, December 13.

Leonard explained that the convict George Gunawan was legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption together in the shrimp pond revitalization program.

The case began in 2012, the Directorate General of Aquaculture, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia carried out the Assistance Program for Revitalization of Shrimp Aquaculture Business Activities (Demfarm) in the form of plastic mulch, pumps, generators, windmills, fry and feed with funds sourced from APBN-P for the Demfarm location. in Cirebon Regency in Bungko Lor Village, Kapetakan District, covering an area of 245 hectares.

In this case, Leonard continued, PT Tambak Mas Makmur was appointed to be a partner in the shrimp farming pilot program (Demfarm) in Bungko Lor Village, Cirebon Regency.

"In this program, approximately five groups of farmers were formed who are willing to revitalize a 245-hectare shrimp farm," Leonard said as quoted by Antara.

The group together with other groups submitted a proposal for assistance and was approved by the Directorate General of Aquaculture by distributing aid for aquaculture.

"After the end of the partnership period, the convicts did not return the goods belonging to the state," Leonard said.

Leonard said the convict George Gunawan was proven to have violated Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was amended and added to Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 of the Criminal Code which causes state losses of Rp 38.1 billion.

The case has been decided and declared inkrah with the issuance of the Decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia Number: 2838 K/Pid.Sus/2018 dated January 8, 2019 Jo. Bandung High Court Decision Number: 15/TIPIKOR/2018/PT.BDG dated 20 August 2018 in conjunction with Bandung District Court Decision Number: 13/Pid-Sus-TPK/20178/PN.Bandung dated 08 June 2018.

The convict was sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of Rp. 200 million, and to pay compensation of Rp. 38.1 billion.

The nominal value of the replacement money submitted is the value of government assistance compensated with the value of the confiscated goods of Rp. 10.7 billion based on the results of the calculation of the West Java Representative BPKP.

"The remaining replacement money that must be paid off by the convict is IDR 27.4 billion," said Leonard.

In the framework of implementing the decision to pay off compensation and fines that have permanent legal force, the convict Geoarge Gunawan in good faith paid the replacement money on Thursday, December 9, 2021, by way of book-entry of IDR 27.4 billion and a fine of IDR 200 million.

The money was transferred to the holding account of the Cirebon District Attorney's Office, so that the total deposited amounted to Rp. 27.6 billion.

Furthermore, Rp27.6 billion was handed over by the children of the convict's family accompanied by legal counsel to the Head of the Cirebon District Attorney's Office and then from the Cirebon District Attorney's Head it was handed over to Bank Mandiri representatives to be deposited into the state treasury through Bank Mandiri.

"The success of depositing the replacement money and fines is the result of collaboration between the AGO's Asset Recovery Center and the West Java High Prosecutor's Office and the Cirebon District Attorney's Office," Leonard said.

The prosecutor's team conducted an asset search based on a request for assistance in asset recovery submitted by the Cirebon District Attorney's Office in order to fulfill the criminal payment of replacement money and fines on behalf of the convict George Gunawan.

"Law enforcement carried out by the Indonesian Attorney General's Office is not only focused on convicting criminals, but also on recovering assets derived from the assets/wealth of criminal actors used/obtained from crimes," said Leonard.