KPK Public Prosecutor Presents 5 Witnesses At The Corruption Case Session Of Ex Walkot Bima Muhammad Lutfi Next Week

Former Mayor of Bima Muhammad Lutfi (two right) who was accused of corruption in gratification of the procurement project for goods and services / DOK ANTARA

The public prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission is ready to present five witnesses at the follow-up trial of the corruption case with the former Mayor of Bima Muhammad Lutfi at the Corruption Court at the Mataram District Court, West Nusa Tenggara, Senin, January 29. "For anyone, we still have to discuss the five witnesses through our internals," said Andi representing the public prosecutor team from the KPK after the trial for reading the indictment of Muhammad Lutfi in Mataram, Antara, Monday, January 22. In the trial chaired by Putu Gde Hariadi with members Agung Prasetyo and Djoko Soepriyono, the defendant Muhammad Lutfi through his legal advisor stated that he did not file an exception to the indictment of the public prosecutor. The chairman of the panel of judges then stated that the next trial was with the agenda of examining witnesses from the public prosecutor. "Allow the public prosecutor to prepare witnesses who will be presented in the follow-up trial on Monday next week," said Hariadi. The chairman of the panel of judges also asked for certainty from the public prosecutor regarding the sequence of witnesses who will be present at the trial considering that 92 witnesses were attached to the indictment file. The prosecutor responded to this by stating that he would present five witnesses in the agenda of the next trial. In addition, the prosecutor in the trial also asked for the trial to be held twice a week and the defendant Muhammad Lutfi through his legal advisor agreed with the offer. The chairman of the panel of judges heard this and then asked the parties for time to determine the day of the trial. "Later we will agree on the next trial, Monday (29/1), maybe we will offer it Friday. However, we want to first see the list of witnesses who will be presented by the prosecutor in the trial, please immediately submit the list so that we can adjust it to other trial schedules," said Hariadi. The prosecutor heard the order stating that he was ready to submit a list of the sequences of witnesses who would attend the trial on Monday's follow-up trial agenda (29/1). The Mayor of Bima for the period 2018 —2023 Muhammad Lutfi underwent KPK detention on October 5, 2023. The KPK detained Muhammad Lutfi after being a suspect in cases of alleged corruption and money laundering offenses. The case that ensnared Lutfi began in mid-2019. At that time, Lutfi together with a family member began to condition projects carried out by the Bima City Government. Lutfi then asked for documents from various projects at the Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUPR) and the Bima Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). By taking advantage of his position, Lutfi then ordered several officials at the PUPR and BPBD Bima offices to create various projects that have large budget value and the preparation is carried out at the official residence of the Mayor of Bima. The value of the project at the PUPR and BPBD Bima Offices in the 2019 —2020 budget year reached tens of billions of rupiah. Lutfi unilaterally directly determined the contractors to be won in the auction of the projects. The auction process continues, but only as a formality and in fact the winner of the auction does not meet the requirements as stipulated. For this collection, Lutfi received a deposit of Rp8.6 billion from the contractor who was won. One of the projects involved in the case, among others, is the Ungga Tolowi Road widening project as well as the procurement of electricity and public street lighting at Oi'Foo Housing. The technicality of depositing money to Lutfi is through bank account transfers in the names of Lutfi's trusted people, including family members. KPK investigators also found allegations of receiving gratuities in the form of money by Lutfi from a number of parties. The KPK investigating team will continue to investigate further.

For his actions, he was charged with Article 12 letter i and/or 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.