New Round Of Ministry Of Agriculture Corruption Case, Syahrul Yasin Limpo Will Soon Be Tried

Illustration of the former Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo. (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - Former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo will be tried in connection with allegations of extortion and receiving gratuities. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has completed an investigation and delegation to the public prosecutor has been carried out today, Wednesday, February 7. "SYL et al will soon be tried. Today the investigative team handed over the suspects and evidence to the KPK prosecutor team for the alleged corruption case," said Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri to reporters, Thursday, February 7. Furthermore, Syahrul's detention will be continued for the next 20 days. The prosecutor will also prepare an indictment and submit it to the corruption court (tipikor) within 14 days. "The money laundering case is still being investigated and resolved," said Ali. Previously reported, the KPK suspected that Syahrul had blackmailed his employees by requiring to pay monthly deposits with the help of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono and the Director of Agricultural Equipment of the Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hatta. The nominal that is pegged and must be deposited by echelon I-II employees is around 4,000-10,000 US dollars. It is believed that the money collected does not only come from the realization of the Ministry of Agriculture's budget inflated or mark-ups but from vendors working on projects. The money is given in cash, transfers or goods.

The anti-corruption commission then suspected that the money Syahrul received was used for various personal interests. Starting from Umrah with other Ministry of Agriculture employees, buying cars, repairing houses to flowing to the NasDem Party with a value of up to billions of rupiah.