High Court Weights 3 Corruptors Of Former NTB ESDM Officials

Court illustration (ANTARA)

The panel of judges at the appeal level at the West Nusa Tenggara High Court increased the sentence of three former NTB Energy and Mineral Resources Service (ESDM) officials who were accused of the corruption case of the iron sand mine PT Anugrah Mitra Graha (AMG).

Mataram District Court Spokesman Lalu Moh. Sandi Iramaya confirmed this in accordance with the appeal decision that was published in the Case Investigation Information System (SIPP) of the Mataram District Court.

"Yes, information on the appeal decision of the three can be accessed through the SIPP Mataram District Court. Broadly speaking, the sentences of the three defendants in the appeal decision are up," Sandi said, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, April 26.

The three former NTB ESDM Service officials who were accused in the mining corruption case were Muhammad Husni, Zainal Abidin, and Syamsul Makrif.

The panel of judges at the appeal level which increased the sentence of three defendants chaired by I Wayan Wirjana with member judges Mery Taat Anggarasih and Mahsan.

The panel of judges at the appeal level increased the sentence of the three defendants by changing the verdict of the Corruption Court at the Mataram District Court regarding the main sentence.

For the defendant Muhammad Husni who is the Head of the NTB ESDM Service in 2021, the panel of judges at the appeal level changed the main sentence by imposing a prison sentence of 6 years and a fine of Rp. 300 million, subsidiary to 3 months in prison.

To the defendant Zainal Abidin, the former Head of the NTB ESDM Service in 2022, the judge at the appeal level changed the main sentence by imposing a prison sentence of 7 years and a fine of Rp. 300 million, subsidiary to 3 months in prison.

Furthermore, for the defendant Syamsul Makrif who is a former Head of Mineral and Coal (Minerba) at the NTB ESDM Service in 2021, the judge also applies a basic crime similar to the defendant Zainal Abidin.

Previously, the panel of judges at the first level chaired by Mukhlassuddin sentenced three defendants to 5 years in prison with a fine of Rp. 200 million, subsidiary to 2 months in prison.

The court's decision at the first level until this appeal is still lower than the prosecutor's demands.

For Muhammad Husni, previously the prosecutor requested that the panel of judges impose a prison sentence of 9 years with Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to 6 months in prison.

Then, against Zainal Abidin, the prosecutor requested that he be sentenced to 12 years in prison with a fine of Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to 6 months in prison.

As for Syamsul Makrif, he was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to 6 months in prison.

The three defendants in this case acted as people who helped smooth the shipping process and the sale of PT AMG's mining production in the Dedalpak block in East Lombok Regency.

The defendants were proven to have helped PT AMG by issuing a statement and statement letter on behalf of the Head of the NTB ESDM Service as a substitute for the planned budget activity (RKAB) which has not received approval from the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

As a result of mining activities without RKAB running in 2021-2022, there was a state financial loss resulting from the NTB BPKP audit worth Rp36.4 billion.