Examined By The NTB Prosecutor's Office, 2 Suspects Of Corruption In The East Lombok Iron Sand Mine Not Wearing Prisoner Vest

Officers escorted RA (left) and ZA (left), 2 suspects in the alleged corruption case of the East Lombok iron sand mine after being questioned at the NTB Prosecutor's Office Building, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (ANTARA-Dhimas B.P.)

The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) has again investigated two suspects in the alleged corruption case of the Dedalpak Iron Sand mine, East Lombok Regency.

Spokesperson for the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Efrien Saputera, explained that the two suspects questioned were the former Head of the NTB ESDM Service Zainal Abidin and the private element of the Branch Head of PT Anugrah Mitra Graha (AMG) with the initials RA.

"Yes, today both of them were re-examined. Its nature is an additional examination," said Efrien in Mataram, NTB, Tuesday, April 4, as reported by Antara.

The examination of the two suspects ended at around 17.00 WITA. The two of them left the NTB Prosecutor's Office building wearing handcuffs in their hands without wearing a prison vest.

When questioned, the two suspects were reluctant to comment. Instead, they only stated that they would cooperate in the ongoing legal process.

Investigators named ZA and RA as suspects by applying Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law no. 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

Investigators named both of them as suspects based on the results of the case title which found indications of abuse of authority in the iron sand mining activities by PT AMG in the Dedalpak Block.

After the determination, investigators made arrests by entrusting the two suspects to the State Detention Center (Rutan) of the Class IIA Mataram Penitentiary.

Previously, the Assistant for Special Crimes (Aspidsus) of the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Ely Rahmawati, said that the investigation of this case had not been completed until the determination and detention of the two suspects because there were still a series of activities to strengthen evidence, both from witness statements, the two suspects, and state losses from the NTB Representative Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

With this agenda, Ely mentioned the potential for the determination of new suspects from the case that has been running at the investigation stage since January 18, 2023, in accordance with the order of the Head of the NTB Prosecutor's Office Number: Print-01/N.2/Fd.1/01/2023.

In this case, PT AMG was revealed to have the legality of an iron sand mining permit on an area of 1,348 hectares. The permit is valid for 15 years from 2011 to 2026.

The permit was issued based on the Decree of the Regent of East Lombok Number: 2821/503/PPT.II/2011 concerning Approval to Improve Mining Business Permits (IUP) Exploration to IUP for Production of Iron Sand and Mineral Followers in the Dedalpak Block which is included in the Pringgabaya District and Labuhan Haji District, East Lombok.