KPK Checks PT Tigapilar Agro Utama Staff For Juliari Batubara

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is again conducting witness examinations in the alleged bribery case for the provision of social assistance (bansos) COVID-19 in the Jabodetabek area.

Acting KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement Ali Fikri said that today investigators conducted an examination of a staff from PT Tigapilar Agro Utama whose directors were also arrested during a hand arrest (OTT) some time ago.

"The KPK is investigating Imanuel Tarigan who is a staff of PT Tigapilar Agro Utama as a witness for the suspect JPB (Juliari Peter Batubara)," Ali said in a written statement to journalists, Monday, January 4.

It is known, in this OTT, the KPK secured a number of people including Matheus Joko Santoso alias MAS as the Commitment Making Officer (PPK) at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Wan Guntar alias WG as the Director of PT Tiga Pilar Agro Utama, Ardian IM alias AIM as the private party, Harry Sidabuke alias HS as the private party, Shelvy N alias SN as the Secretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Sanjaya alias SJY as the private party.

They were caught by the KPK OTT in several areas in Jakarta on Saturday, December 5, 2020.

From this silent operation, the KPK then named five people as suspects, namely the Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Juliari P. Batubara, Matheus Joko Santoso, and Adi Wahyuno as suspects who received bribes. Meanwhile, the other two suspects were the bribes, namely Ardian IM and Harry Sidabuke.

This case started with the provision of social assistance in the form of basic food packages within the Ministry of Social Affairs worth Rp. 5.9 trillion with a total of 272 contracts implemented in two periods.

Then, this PDIP politician appointed Matheus and Adi as PPK. In project implementation, both of them did it by direct appointment of partners. As for the fee for each COVID-19 social assistance package that Matheus and Adi agreed to, it was IDR 10,000 from a value of IDR 300 thousand.

Matheus and Adi then made work contracts with several suppliers as partners for providing social assistance in May-November 2020. The partners chosen were AIM, HS, and PT Rajawali Parama Indonesia aka PT RPI which allegedly belonged to Matheus.

In this case, the KPK then suspected that Juliari received a fee of Rp. 8.2 billion for the implementation of the first period of social assistance package. Meanwhile, in the second implementation, he allegedly received a fee of Rp.8.8 billion which was used for his personal interests.