Former Chairman Of The Aceh Reintegration Agency Charged With Corruption In Conflict Assistance Of IDR 15.39 Billion

The atmosphere of the trial of the corruption case of assistance for the conflict victims at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court in Banda Aceh, Friday (8/11/2024). ANTARA/M Haris SA

BANDA ACEH - The public prosecutor (JPU) has charged the former chairman of the Aceh Reintegration Agency (BRA) with alleged corruption in the assistance of conflict victims in East Aceh Regency with state losses reaching Rp15.39 billion.

The indictment was read out by the Public Prosecutor Ibnu Filman Idea Amin and a team from the Aceh High Prosecutor's Office during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court in Banda Aceh, Friday, November 8.

The trial with the panel of judges chaired by M Jamil and accompanied by R Deddy Haryanto and Heri Alfian each as member judges.

The defendant Suhendri was the Chair of the BRA for the period 2022-2024 present at the trial accompanied by his team of legal advisors.

Apart from Suhendri, the Public Prosecutor also charged five other defendants in the same case, namely the criminal act of procuring big fish cultivation and running feed for victims of conflicts in East Aceh Regency.

The five defendants, Muhammad as the Budget User Authority (KPA) and defendant Mahdi as the Technical Implementation Officer (PPTK), as well as defendants Zulfikar and Hamdani as the coordinator or activity liaison, and defendant Zamzami as the company borrower.

The public prosecutor said that BRA in 2023 will manage funds for the procurement of fish cultivation and runcah feed to the conflict victims with a value of Rp. 15.7 billion.

The assistance was distributed by the heads of nine groups of people who were victims of conflict in East Aceh Regency. However, the community group never submitted or received the assistance.

"That the work of procuring big fish cultivation and feed for the victims of the conflict is fictitious. Meanwhile, the disbursement of funds is 100 percent," said the prosecutor.

The prosecutor said that based on the calculation of the losses carried out by the Aceh Inspectorate Auditor, it was found that state losses reached Rp. 15.39 billion. The state losses were deducted after the PPh Article 22 and infaq were deducted.

According to the prosecutor, the actions of the defendants as regulated and threatened with criminal penalties violated Article 2 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 18 Paragraph (1) letters a, b, Paragraph (2), Paragraph (3) of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended into Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.