NTB BPKP Auditor Checks PT AMG Mining Corruption Case Documents

The Director of PT AMG with the initials PSW (left) who became an additional suspect in the case of the Dedalpak Block iron sand mine, in Jakarta, Thursday (13/4/2023). (ANTARA)

The Auditor of the West Nusa Tenggara Representative Finance and Development Supervisory Agency examined documents that were used as equipment for handling the corruption case of the PT Anugrah Mitra Graha (AMG) iron sand mine in the Dedalpak Block, East Lombok Regency.

Spokesperson for the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Efrien Saputera, in Mataram, Monday, said that the audit team's activities took place at the NTB Prosecutor's Office.

"Yes, BPKP is again in the Pidsus (special convict) room, checking the documents for the PT AMG mining case," Efrien said as quoted by ANTARA.

When asked about the investigation related to efforts to trace evidence of the flow of money from PT AMG to a number of parties so that mining activities in East Lombok Regency continue without pocketing the work plan and budget (RKAB), he admitted that he did not know about this.

"What is clear is that it has something to do with the need for audits of state losses," he said.

In addition to examining documents by auditors, investigators conducted an examination of one of the suspects, namely the Head of the PT AMG Branch of East Lombok Regency with the initials RA.

Regarding the RA examination agenda, Efrien revealed that the examination was additional information in the examination report (BAP).

"Only additional examinations," he said.

The examination of suspect RA at the NTB Prosecutor's Office ended at around 17.00 WITA. RA's attorney, Lalu Kukuh Kharisma was present to accompany the examination at the NTB Prosecutor's Office.

When met, Kukuh admitted that his client was still with the plan to return state losses. However, this will be done after the NTB BPKP released state losses as a result of the audit.

"The plan (returning state losses) remains. However, we are waiting for the results of the audit," said Kukuh.

In the case of mining corruption of PT AMG, investigators named RA as a suspect along with the Director of PT AMG with the initials PSW and the former Head of the NTB Energy and Mineral Resources Service (ESDM) with the initials ZA.

Investigators named the three 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.

PT AMG, which is headquartered in North Jakarta, was revealed to have the legality of an iron sand mining permit in the Dedalpak Block with a land 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 Pringgabaya District and Labuhan Haji District, East Lombok Regency.

In this case, it was revealed that there were indications that PT AMG carried out mining in the Dedalpak Block without obtaining approval from the annual work plan and budget (RKAB) from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. Such mining activities took place in the period 2021 to 2022.

According to the regulations, the RKAB approval is a ticket for mining companies to operate. According to the regulation, there is also a stipulation of the production fee or royalties that must be deposited by the company to the government in every sale of mining commodities.

The regulation is in accordance with Article 18 of Government Regulation Number 81 of 2019 concerning Types and Tariffs of Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) that apply to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

In the regulation, the government set royalty rates for iron sand commodities at 10 percent of the selling price.

With this regulation, the prosecutor's investigator has pocketed a potential state loss with an estimated value of IDR 2 billion.