Witness Calls Aide Asking For Money For SYL To Buy Weapons

Syahrul Yasin Limpo/DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - Former Head of the Household Section of the General Bureau and Procurement of the Ministry of Agriculture, Abdul Hafidh, said that he was asked to hand over a sum of money for the purchase of weapons from the former Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL).

Abdul Hafidh was one of the witnesses presented by the public prosecutor (JPU) in the follow-up trial of the alleged extortion and gratification case with the defendants SYL, Muhammad Hatta, and Kasdi Subagyono.

It started when a lawyer from SYL questioned whether or not there was a request for money from Panji Harjanto as SYL's aide to buy weapons.

"Have you ever heard of Panji's story asking for money to buy weapons for the Minister's mother for something that person gave a gift but he told the general bureau that you bought a weapon, have you ever?" asked SYL's lawyer during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Monday, May 6.

"If not from outside, he only once asked us, sir," replied Hafidh.

"What request?" said SYL's lawyer.

"For the purchase of weapons," replied Hafidh.

"That was paid too?" said SYL's lawyer.

"Yes, that's still our return again, permission, everything we do is tiered, still from the leadership," continued Hafidh.

Hearing this testimony, the presiding judge Rianto Adam Pontoh took over and confirmed the testimony of witnesses regarding the giving of money to pay for the purchase of the weapon.

"But is the request for the purchase of weapons handed over or not the money? For the purchase of weapons? Handed over not to the banner?" asked Judge Rianto.

"Sorry, Your Majesty, I forgot," replied Hafidh.

Judge Rianto turned to the prosecutor and questioned whether or not there was a record of buying weapons. At that time, the prosecutor said there was nothing like that.

"There is no purchase of His Majesty's weapon," replied the prosecutor.

Judge Rianto then asked Hafidh to provide evidence if there was indeed a purchase of the weapon.

"Just hearing if there is a purchase of weapons only...," said Hafidh

"There must be evidence, there must be evidence because of the money problem. If there is no evidence and it is not recorded, it does not need to be asked, right," said Judge Rianto.