The Role Of Brigadier General Mukti Juharsa In Tin Corruption Was Revealed At The Session: WA Group Admin To Announce 5 Percent Deposit

Follow-up hearing of tin corruption cases at the Corruption Court/PHOTO: Rizky Adytia-VOI

Director of Narcotics Crime at Bareskrim Polri Brigadier General Mukti Juharsa is said to have played a role in a series of cases of alleged corruption in the management of tin commodity trading in the mining business permit (IUP) area of PT Timah Tbk for the 2015 to 2022 period.

In addition to being an admin for the WhatsApp group 'new smelter', Mukti Juharsa, who at that time was still the rank of Kombes and served as the Special Criminal Director of the Bangka Belitung Islands Police, also submitted a private smelter deposit agreement to PT Timah Tbk of 5 percent of the tin ore export quota.

This was revealed based on the statement of the former general manager (GM) of PT Timah Tbk Province, Bangka Belitung Islands, Ahmad Syahmadi, who was presented as a witness.

Initially, the witness conveyed a meeting at the Borobudor Hotel, Jakarta, in 2018. The conversation followed up on requests from PT Timah to private smelters to put a 50 percent stake in the tin ore export quota.

The request was made because private smelters had received a Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) as well as mining carried out in the PT Timah IUP area. The cooperation was carried out to increase the production of PT Timah Tbk.

"What was discussed at the Borobudor Hotel? At Novotel, it was clear that there was a request from PT Timah to increase PT Timah's production. What was discussed in Borobudor, sir?" asked the prosecutor during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Thursday, August 22.

"The point is the same. At first we asked for help from the smelters by also attending the main officials of Bangka Belitung Province asking for help so that they can help produce PT Timah ore. I had asked before leaving for the Operations Director, Mr. President Director had aspirations so that the production of metal from Bangka Belitung was fifty-fifty, Your Majesty," said Syahmadi.

"Because previously, on average every year there were around 70 thousand tons of metal exports from Bangka Belitung, PT Timah was only around 20 thousand, 21 thousand, 22 thousand and so was Your Honor. So there was an aspiration from the board of directors, so please help me make fifty-fifty. Why fifty-fifty? Because the private smelters at that time also received RKAB," continued Syahmadi.

The meeting was also attended by former Bangka Belitung Governor Erzaldi Rosman, the late Saiful Zuhri who was the Bangka Belitung Police Chief at the time, and private stakeholders.

Syahmadi explained that the 50 percent request for part was the aspiration of Mochtar Riza Pahlevi Tabrani as President Director of PT Timah Tbk for the 2016-2021 period and Alwin Albar as Director of Operations and Production of PT Timah Tbk for the period April 2017-February 2020.

However, Syahmadi claimed not to attend the meeting until it was over. He only knew if the agreement from the forum was announced in a WhatsApp group called 'New Smelter'.

The agreement is that private smelters only agreed to provide a 5 percent share to PT Timah from the export quota.

"Then who in the group is actively discussing the output of this borobudur, is there a request for 50 or what kind of agreement or not?" asked the prosecutor.

"Yes, in detail, I went home first, Your Majesty, I did not respond. It was only announced in the WhatsApp group," replied Syahmadi.

"What is the announcement, sir?" asked the prosecutor.

"The point is PT Timah's aspirations are 50 percent, the forum agreed to 5 percent," replied Syahmadi.

Then, the prosecutor tried to find out who made the announcement in the WhatsApp group. At that time, Syahmadi said Brigadier General Mukti Juharsa conveyed it.

"Who said that in the WA group?" asked the prosecutor.

"Pak Dirreskrimsus," replied Syahmadi.

With the agreement, Syahmadi responded to the commitment of the smelters. However, not everyone agreed to the agreement.

"Then the response of the smelters members in the group?" asked the prosecutor.

"Then I was asked to read that they were committed not to send 5 percent. I read," replied Syahmadi.

"So the commitment is accepted by the smelter owner?" asked the prosecutor.

"Some can't," said Syahmadi.