KPK Summons Secretary General Antam Novambar Regarding The Bribery Case For Lobster Fry Export Permits

KPK (Photo: DOK VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues to investigate the bribery case for the export license of lobster fry or lobster seeds, which ensnared the former Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Edhy Prabowo by summoning several witnesses.

Two witnesses were summoned today, one of whom is the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Antam Novambar.

"The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Antam Novambar, is being examined as a witness for Edhy Prabowo", said KPK spokesman for Enforcement Ali Fikri in his written statement, Wednesday, March 17.

Apart from Antam, the KPK also summoned another witness, namely KKP Inspector General M. Yusuf. He will also be examined to complete the case files belonging to the former Gerindra Party politician.

It was reported earlier, Monday, March 15, that the KPK confiscated IDR 52.3 billion in cash that was suspected of being a Bank Garansi (bank guarantee).

The anti-corruption commission suspected that at that time Edhy Prabowo as the former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries ordered the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Antam Novambar to make a written order.

The KPK said this letter was related to the withdrawal of bank guarantees from exporters to the Head of the Fish Quarantine, Quality Control and Safety of Fishery Products (BKIPM).

"Furthermore, the Head of BKIPM ordered the Head of Jakarta I Central Quarantine Office Soekarno Hatta to accept the Bank Guarantee", he explained.

It's just that, later it was discovered, the rules for submitting bank guarantees as a form of commitment to the implementation of lobster seed export had never existed.

Seeing Antam's involvement in the process, the KPK opened up the opportunity to call and investigate in the case of bribery for the export license of lobster fries or seeds. Moreover, he received direct orders from Edhy Prabowo.

As for this bribery case, Edhy Prabowo was named a suspect in receiving bribes along with five other people, namely: Stafsus Minister of KKP Safri (SAF) and Andreau Pribadi Misanta (APM); Management of PT Aero Citra Kargo (PT ACK) Siswadi (SWD); The staff of the wife of the Minister of KKP, Ainul Faqih, and Amiril Mukminin (AM).

Meanwhile, the giver of the bribe was the Director of PT Dua Putra Perkasa Pratama (PT DPPP) Suharjito (SJT).

Edhy was named a suspect because he was suspected of accepting bribes from companies that had been issued a lobster seed export license using a forwarder company and were kept in one account up to IDR 9.8 billion.

Furthermore, on November 5, 2020, Ahmad Bahtiar transferred IDR 3.4 billion to the staff account of Edhy's wife, Ainul, which was earmarked for the needs of Edhy, his wife Iis Rosyati Dewi, Safri, and Andreau.

This money is used for shopping for luxury goods by Edhy and his wife in Honolulu, USA from November 21 to 23, 2020, amounting to around IDR 750 million, including Rolex watches, Tumi, and LV bags, road bikes, and Old Navy clothes.

Also, around May 2020, Edhy was suspected of receiving USD 100 thousand from Suharjito through Safri and Amiril.