SYL Charged With Withdrawing 20 Percent Of Contribution From Ministry Of Agriculture Echelon Officials, Totaling IDR 44.5 Billion

Syahrul Yasin Limpo/PHOTO Session: Rizky Adytia-VOI

JAKARTA - Former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) was charged with receiving gratuities by withdrawing contributions to echelon one officials at the Ministry of Agriculture from 2020 to 2023. The total reached Rp44.5 billion.

"The defendant collected and ordered to collect money from echelon I officials within the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture," said the KPK prosecutor reading out the indictment in a trial at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, February 28.

In the indictment, SYL did not immediately withdraw the contributions to the Ministry of Agriculture echelon officials. Covering money is done through his trusted people.

They are Imam Mujahidin Fahmid as Special Staff to the Minister of Agriculture, Kasdi Subagyono as Director General of Plantation for the 2020 period, Muhammad Hatta, who was then Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery, and Panji Harjanto, SYL's aide.

The order to withdraw the contributions was conveyed by SYL to his trusted people when he was in his room around the beginning of 2020.

In his order, SYL said that there was money that he served as minister in every part of the Ministry of Agriculture.

"The defendant also conveyed that there was a 20 percent share of the budget in each sector, directorate, and agency at the Ministry of Agriculture which must be given to the defendant," said the prosecutor.

In fact, Syahrul Yasin Limpo is said to have threatened his staff. If someone does not deposit money or obeys his request it will lose their position.

"The defendant also conveyed to the ranks under the defendant that if echelon I officials could not fulfill the defendant's request, his position was in danger, he could be transferred or dismissed by the defendant," he said.

"And if there are officials who are not in line with what the defendant said, they should resign from their positions," continued the prosecutor.

The withdrawal of the dues was carried out by SYL from the period 2020 to 2023. If the accumulated money he got reached Rp44.5 billion.

"The amount of money obtained by the defendant during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture by using coercion amounting to Rp44,546,079,044," said the prosecutor.

In this case, Syahrul Yasin Limpo was charged with violating Article 12 letter e and Article 12 letter B Juncto Article 18 of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code (KUHP) Juncto Article 64 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.