Allegedly Buying Wine Using Bribes, Edhy Prabowo: I Pay With My Money

Edhy Prabowo (DOK. KPK)

JAKARTA - The former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Edhy Prabowo, has denied allegations that he bought wine-type liquor using bribes from exporters of fries or lobster seeds.

Edhy said the money used to buy wine from former Gerindra Party candidate Ery Cahyaningrum was personal money.

"Look, I bought the wine, from a long time ago, I like to drink wine and I pay with my money," said Edhy after being questioned by KPK investigators at the KPK's Red and White House, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, January 29.

This former Gerindra Party official admits that the purchase of wine was carried out by his personal assistant, Amiril Mukminin, who is also a suspect in the alleged bribery of the export of fries or lobster seeds. Because, his money has been managed by Amiril since 2014 or when he served as a member of the DPR.

"Incidentally, Amiril managed my money, right, since he was my aspirant at the DPR in 2014 until now. All the money for recess activities, work visits, has been disbursed directly by him as my aspirant until now," he explained.

Edhy asked the KPK to prove all the allegations that were pointed at him. The suspect who received the bribe admits that he will cooperate with the entire ongoing legal process.

"If there is money it is the result of corruption and all kinds, please prove it," he said.

"For me, I have explained my duty, which is to continue to convey what I know. That later it will be linked to the results of criminal acts, let the court," he added.

The KPK revealed new facts in the case of alleged bribery for the export of lobster fries or seeds. Former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo allegedly used bribes he received from fry exporters to buy and drink wine with his personal secretary, Amiril Mukminin.

The wine that Edhy and Amiril bought and drank was said to have come from a former Gerindra Party candidate, Ery Cahyaningrum, who had a wine sales business. For this reason, the KPK also summoned Ery to be questioned as a witness in the alleged bribery case.

"Ery Cahyaningrum was confirmed related to the business activities of the witness who sold beverage products, including the type of wine allegedly bought and consumed by the suspect EP (Edhy Prabowo) and the suspect AM (Amiril Mukminin), where the source of the money was allegedly given by parties who applied for the export license of fry in KKP (Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries), "said Acting Spokesperson for the Corruption Eradication Committee Ali Fikri in a written statement, Wednesday, January 27.

As previously reported, in the case of the export bribery of shrimp fry or lobster seeds, Edhy Prabowo was named a suspect in receiving bribes along with five other people, namely: Stafsus Minister of KKP Safri (SAF) and Andreau Pribadi Misanta (APM); Management of PT Aero Citra Kargo (PT ACK) Siswadi (SWD); The staff of the wife of the Minister of KKP, Ainul Faqih, and Amiril Mukminin (AM).

Meanwhile, the giver of the bribe was the Director of PT Dua Putra Perkasa Pratama (PT DPPP) Suharjito (SJT).

Edhy was named a suspect because he was suspected of accepting bribes from companies that had been issued a lobster seed export license using a forwarder company and was kept in one account of up to Rp9.8 billion and US $ 100 thousand from Suharjito through Safri and Amiril.

The money that goes to the account of PT ACK, which is currently the sole cargo service provider for the export of lobster seeds, is then withdrawn to the accounts of PT ACK holders, namely Ahmad Bahtiar and Amri, for a total of Rp9.8 billion.

This money is used for shopping for luxury goods by Edhy and his wife in Honolulu, USA from November 21 to 23, 2020, amounting to around IDR 750 million, including Rolex watches, Tumi and LV bags, road bikes, and Old Navy clothes.