Judge Rejects Pretrial Corruption Suspect Padang-Sicincin Toll Road

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

PADANG - The judge of the Class IA District Court of Padang, West Sumatra (West Sumatra) rejected a pretrial lawsuit filed by SA, one of the suspects in the alleged corruption case for compensation for land acquisition for the Padang-Sicincin Toll Road.

"Rejected the pretrial application from the applicant," said judge Khairulludin in a trial scheduled to read the verdict in Padang, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 28.

The judge assessed that the series of investigations, arrests and detentions carried out by the West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office against SA who was known to be the custodial guardian at the time of the case was legal.

Responding to the decision, SA's attorney, M Hadi said that his party respects the court's decision, and will then prepare evidence in the legal process of the main case.

The West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office as the defendant was represented by four prosecutors namely Pitria Erwina, Loura Sariyosa, Eka Dharma Satria, and Dodi Arifin.

In addition to SA, on that day a trial was also held for Sy, another suspect in compensation for toll land compensation who also filed a pretrial against the West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office.

In his decision, Judge Rinaldi Triandoko also rejected the pretrial lawsuit filed by Sy, who was known to be the village guardian when the case occurred.

Responding to the decision, West Sumatra Prosecutor's Intelligence Assistant Mustaqpirin said his party welcomed the decision from the court.

"We welcome the judge's decision, because in carrying out the legal process on this case, we do it professionally and proportionally," he said.

Mustaqpirin said that from the investigation, investigation, determination of suspects to detention, his party carried out according to the rules, supported by evidence, data and facts.

At the same time, he said, investigators from the West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office are also continuing to process and complete the file on the alleged corruption case, which is estimated to have cost the state Rp28 billion.

Losses arise because the money for paying compensation for toll land that has been disbursed by the state is claimed against the law by people who are not entitled to receive compensation.

The total number of suspects in this case is 13 people, and all of them have now been detained by investigators.

The case began when there was a Padang-Sicincin toll road construction project in 2020, so the state prepared money as compensation for land affected by development.

One of the affected areas is the Biodiversity Park (Kehati) in Parit Malintang, Padang Pariaman Regency, where compensation is received by each person.

After further investigation by the prosecutor's office, it was found that the Kehati Park was listed as a regional asset and was recorded in the assets of the Padangpariaman Regional Financial Management Agency.

The land was included in the object when Padang Pariaman Regency took care of moving the district capital (IKK) to Parit Malintang in 2007.

Land acquisition in the IKK transfer activity at that time was accompanied by a statement of the release of rights from the land cultivators and compensation was carried out.

The land was then controlled by the Padang Pariaman Regency Government by building the regent's office (2010), urban forest (2011), green open space (2012), official office (2014), including the Kehati Park (2014) based on the Regent's Decree covering an area of 10 hectares.

At that time, the construction and maintenance of the Kehati Park used the Special Allocation Fund (DAK) of the Ministry of Environment and the Padang Pariaman Regional Budget.

The Asintel Prosecutor of West Sumatra emphasized that the investigation of the current case was purely related to the payment of land compensation, not the physical construction of the toll road project, so that it would not have an impact on the construction of the toll road project, let alone hinder its construction.

"This processing is part of the AGO's efforts to support the toll road project as a national strategic project, lest there be irresponsible parties who take personal benefits and harm state finances," he said.