Strengthening Evidence In Alleged Corruption In Iron Imports, AGO Checks Treasurer Of The Ministry Of Trade's Import Directorate

Head of the Attorney General's Office for Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum Kejagung) Ketut Sumedana. ANTARA/HO-The Attorney General

JAKARTA - Investigators of the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes at the Attorney General's Office examined the Expenditure Treasurer of the Import Directorate of the Ministry of Trade with the initials S as a witness in the investigation into alleged corruption in the import of iron or steel for the 2016-2021 period.

"Witness examination is carried out to strengthen evidence and complete the filing," said the Head of the Attorney General's Office for Penuspenkum Ketut Sumedana in a written statement received in Jakarta, Antara, Tuesday, May 31.

S serves as the Expenditure Treasurer of the Directorate of Imports at the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (Daglu) of the Ministry of Trade. Meanwhile, the Director General of Daglu, Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana, has been named a suspect in another case, namely the granting of export facilities for CPO (crude palm oil) and its derivatives for the period January 2021-March 2022.

In addition to witness S, investigators also examined two other witnesses, namely the Director of PT Globalindo Anugrah Jaya Abadi identified as WH and the head of the Marketing Strategy Team of PT Krakatau Posko with the initials OPDP.

This Tuesday afternoon, investigators have named six corporations as suspects. The six corporations are PT BES, PT DSS, PT IB, PT JAK, PT PAS, and PT PMU. Previously, investigators named two individual suspects, namely Tahan Banurea, an analyst from the Ministry of Trade and Taufiq, a manager at PT Meraseti Logistik Indonesia.

In a press conference this afternoon, Ketut mentioned that the six corporate suspects were charged with Article 2 paragraph (1) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and added to the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Indonesia. Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code. Subsidiary to Article 3 of the Juncto Corruption Law, Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

Then Article 3 and Article 4 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Money Laundering (TPPU).

According to Ketut, the six corporate suspects in the period 2016-2021 applied for the import of iron or steel and alloy steel through the Customs Service Management Company (PPJK) PT Meraseti Logistik Indonesia owned by BHL.

To pass the import process, said Ketut, BHL (not yet a suspect) and suspect Taufiq (T) took care of an explanation letter (sujel) at the Directorate of Imports at the Director General of Daglu through the suspect Hold Banurea (TB).

"The TB suspect removed iron or steel and alloy steel from the port/from the Customs area as if the imports were for the benefit of a national strategic project carried out by a state-owned company," he said.

The four state-owned companies named are PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk, PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk, PT Nindya Karya (Persero), and PT Pertamina Gas (Pertagas).

"With the sujel (explanatory letter), Customs and Excise issued iron or steel and alloy steel imported by the six corporate suspects," said Ketut.