56 Witnesses Have Been Examined By The Aceh Prosecutor's Office Investigating Allegations Of Corruption In The Rejuvenation Of People's Palm Oil Worth Rp43.7 Billion

Head of Legal Information and Public Relations of the Aceh High Prosecutor's Office Ali Rasab Lubis. BETWEEN/M Haris SA

BANDA ACEH - Aceh High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) investigators examined dozens of witnesses related to alleged corruption in the people's oil palm rejuvenation program worth Rp43.7 billion in Aceh Jaya Regency. "Until now, investigators have examined 56 witnesses. The dozens of witnesses examined are related to the alleged corruption in the people's palm oil rejuvenation program in Aceh Jaya Regency," said Head of the Legal Information and Public Relations Section of the Aceh Attorney General's Office Ali Rasab Lubis in Banda Aceh, Antara, Thursday, April 25. Ali Rasab Lubis said that the handling of the alleged corruption case of the people's palm oil rejuvenation program in Aceh Jaya Regency with a value of Rp43.7 billion was already at the investigation stage. However, he said, investigators have not determined who the suspects are. The examination of these witnesses is an attempt by investigators to reveal who is suspected of being the perpetrator of the corruption crime. "The witnesses examined included officials from the Aceh Jaya Regency Agriculture and Plantation Service, the Aceh Plantation Service, village heads, farmer groups, and other related parties," said Ali Rasab Lubis. Ali Rasab Lubis said the examination of related witnesses was still ongoing in order to find evidence and complete the case file before determining who was the suspect. "In addition to examining witnesses, investigators also asked the auditors to calculate the losses incurred. Until now, the audit process for state losses is still ongoing," said Ali Rasab Lubis. Ali Rasab Lubis said the alleged corruption crime began with the submission of a proposal for assistance for the people's oil palm rejuvenation program by the Sama Mangat Agriculture Cooperative in Aceh Jaya Regency from 2019 to 2021. The proposal was submitted to the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency through the Aceh Jaya Regency Agriculture Service, the Aceh Province Agriculture and Plantation Service and the Directorate General of Plantation of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture. "Against the proposal, the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency distributed the budget to each planter through the account of the Sama Mangat Agriculture Cooperative with a total amount of Rp43.7 billion," he said.

"From the results of the investigation, it was found that the mismatch of the requirements of the oil palm rejuvenation program as regulated in the regulations, so that it has the potential to harm the state's finances and economy," said Ali Rasab Lubis.