Former South Buru Regent Tagop Sudarsono Charged With Accepting Gratification Of Rp.23,279 Billion

The Ambon Corruption Crimes Panel of Judges holds the inaugural trial of the alleged bribery and gratification case (Via ANTARA)

MALUKU - The Public Prosecutor of the Corruption Eradication Commission stated that Tagop Sudarsono Soulisa while serving as Regent of South Buru, Maluku, received a gratuity of Rp. 23,279 billion in infrastructure projects since 2011.

"The defendant as regent of South Bursel from 2011 to 2021, either directly or indirectly, has received a total of Rp. 23,279,750,000 from dozens of regional apparatus organizations (OPD), partners, and contractors," said KPK Public Prosecutor Taufiq Ibnugroho in Ambon, Between, Thursday, June 16th.

The KPK prosecutor's explanation was delivered in the inaugural trial at the Tipikor Court at the Ambon District Court Office led by Nanang Zulkarnain Faizal and accompanied by Jenny Tulak and Anthonius Sampe Sammine as member judges with the agenda of reading the indictment of the defendant Tagop Soulisa.

Direct receipts by the defendant tagop of Rp. 9.180 billion also came from the Bursel District Health Office from 2012 to 2019 at the regent's office and the defendant's house.

"The defendant has received money from the Health Office through the Plt. Kadis, Ibrahim Banda, of which the defendant receives Rp. 350 million annually," explained the KPK prosecutor.

Then receiving money from the related OPD which was collected through the district BPKAD from 2011-2021, the defendant received an annual amount of IDR 380 million from 37 OPD.

Each OPD deposited around Rp. 5 million to Rp. 10 million plus a deposit from six sub-district heads of around Rp. 2.5 million.

The money was deposited by the treasurer of each OPD or sub-district to the head of the South Buru BPKAD Pemberhandaraan so that the total money received by the defendant from 2011 to 2021 was IDR 3,800 billion.

"The defendant also received Rp 1,980 billion from another businessman, Andrias Intan alias Kim Pui, as the President Director of PT Beringin Dua for 2012-2015 amounting to Rp 400 million," explained the KPK prosecutor.

Then there is another entrepreneur named Venska Yawalata alias Venska Intan as Director of PT. Beringin Dua and as a shareholder or commissioner of PT Tunas Harapan Maluku on January 29, 2014 amounting to Rp50 million.

The defendant also received money from Abdullah Alkatiri as Director of PT Heritage Timur on January 20, 2014 Rp. 25 million, then from Rudi Tandean as Director of PT Dinamika Maluku on June 3, 2015 amounting to Rp. 360 million through the defendant Johni R. Kasman.

"Receipts of money which totaled Rp.23,279 billion were then used for the personal interests of the defendant and all receipts of this money were gratuities received by the defendant," explained the KPK prosecutor.

The defendant's actions are also considered as giving bribes because they are related to the defendant's position as the Regent of South Buru as regulated in Article 12 C paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.

The defendant's actions are also contrary to the defendant's obligations as state administrators who are not allowed to commit KKN or receive gratuities as stipulated in Articles 4, 5, and 6 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 28 of 1999 concerning State Administration that is Clean and Free of KKN.

The actions of the defendant Tagop Soulisa and Johni R. Kasman constitute a criminal act of corruption as stipulated in Article 12 B of Law Number 31 of 1999 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 in conjunction with Article 64 of the Criminal Code.

The panel of judges postponed the trial until next week with the agenda of examining witnesses, after the defendant's legal advisory team stated that they had not filed an exception to the KPK prosecutor's indictment.