SYL Sacrifice 12 Cows Using Ministry Of Agriculture Money Rp360 Million

The trial of witness examination in the Ministry of Agriculture's gratification case (DOK Rizky AP/VOI)

JAKARTA - Secretary of the Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan), Hermanto admitted that if it was burdened with paying a sacrifice of 12 cows worth Rp360 million. This was conveyed when he was a witness in the alleged extortion and acceptance of gratuities with the defendants Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Kasdi Subagyono, and Muhammad Hatta. It started when the public prosecutor (JPU) asked Hermanto to explain the chronology of the demand for sacrificial cows, which initially only had three tails. "Then it changed again, plus three tails, a total of 12 tails. What we only gave was money, what he asked for, but the amount of money was approximately 12," Hermanto said during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, May 8. "The value is Rp360 million, right?" asked the prosecutor. "Iya kurang lebih seperti itu," jawab Hermanto. Then, the prosecutor again asked about the mechanism for requesting the 12 cows. It is said that the pattern is tiered through the general bureau. "Especially for the cow, to the knowledge of the witness, the PSP (Prasanana and Agricultural Facilities) has a cow or a Glodongan money of Rp. 360 million?" asked the prosecutor again. "So calculating 360 by tail, I said that the total number of PSPs was charged with 12 tails, so the value was approximately Rp. 360 million," Hermanto replied. Hermanto admitted that he did not know where the 12 cows were sacrificed. In fact, never saw the dozens of cows in person. "We don't know whether it was bought or not or where we don't know where we want to be sacrificed," he said. Furthermore, he said that the money collected of 360 million for SYL's sacrifice was handed over to a person named Lukman. "Witnesses only know the collection from the directorate?" asked the prosecutor. "I only know the obligation for sacrificial cows, the nila is more or less, something like that, sir." he replied. "Later it will just be deposited with the general bureau?" "General cinema," said Hermanto.

In the case of alleged extortion and gratification, Syahrul Yasin Limpo was charged with extortion of up to Rp44.5 billion during the 2020-2023 period. This action was carried out together with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono and the Director of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery of the Directorate General of Infrastructure and Facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Hatta. This money was then used for the benefit of Syahrul's wife and family, invited gifts, NasDem Party, religious events, aircraft charters to Umrah and sacrifice. In addition, he was also charged with receiving gratuities of Rp40.6 M from January 2020 to October 2023.