Witness Relieves Yusril: Photos Of Firli And SYL Meetings Are Not Relaxing Anything

Former KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri with former Minister of Agriculture SYL (ist)

JAKARTA - Legal expert, Yusril Ihza Mahendra highlighted photo evidence in the alleged extortion or gratification case against former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo who named Firli Bahuri as a suspect.

One of them is a photo showing the meeting between Firli Bahuri and Syahrul Yasin Limpo on one of the badminton fields. According to him, the evidence did not explain anything, including the alleged extortion.

"The photo doesn't explain anything, just take a photo. In the photo, it doesn't look like one person blackmailing the other doesn't exist," Yusri told reporters before giving his statement to investigators at Bareskrim Polri, Monday, January 15.

The photo is considered only linked by investigators. This is because the photo was taken or made in 2022 before the investigation into the alleged corruption case at the Ministry of Agriculture or the determination of Syahrul Yasin Limpo as a suspect.

"The photo must be supported by other pieces of evidence, actually, there is testimony from witnesses who saw, heard and knew what people were talking about when they met," he said.

Then, Yusril also highlighted the issue of using Articles 12 and 12 e in the case that named the former chairman of the KPK for the 2019-2023 period as a suspect. It is said, it must be proven that there is an element of coerciveness.

"So it must be proven whether there is really coercion, is it true that Pak Yasin is called and continues to be asked for something, blackmailed. So Mr. Yasin is in a state of fear and concern that he has left something to Mr. Firli. That must be proven," he said.

"Of the many witnesses examined, none of the witnesses explained this happened," continued Yusril.

Even with allegations of gratification. Yusril believes that investigators must reveal a form of gratification.

"This gratification must also be proven, what was promised to Pak Firli by Pak Yasin, in what form. Whether it was form of money, form of discount or other forms, it must be proven, including extortion when it happened, where it happened, and in what form of extortion was," said Yusril.

Meanwhile, Yusri Ihza Mahendra is one of the mitigating witnesses submitted by Firli Bahuri to investigators. The submission was through a registered letter number 251/IISPA/XII/2023, dated December 20.

Firli Bahuri was named a suspect based on the results of the case title conducted on Wednesday, November 22.

Several pieces of evidence that became the basis for determining the suspect, namely, foreign exchange documents worth Rp7.4 billion. Then, there were also the results of the extraction of 21 cellphones.

In this case, Firli Bahuri was charged with Article 12 e or Article 12 B or Article 11 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 65 of the Criminal Code.