Investigate Sugar Import Corruption, AGO Examines Staff And Director General Of Domestic Trade In The Tom Lembong Era

Kapuspenkum Harli Siregar At The Attorney General's Office Building, Jakarta (Rizky AP/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Attorney General's Office (AGO) examined 11 witnesses regarding the handling of cases of alleged corruption in sugar imports. Two of them were former special staff (stafsus) from Tom Lembong when he was Minister of Trade and former Director General of Domestic Trade of the Ministry of Trade.

"Examining SRD as the Special Staff of the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia for the period 2015 to 2016 and SA who is the Director General of Domestic Trade of the Ministry of Trade for the period January 1 to March 3, 2016," said Head of the AGO, Harli Siregar to reporters, Thursday, November 21.

Meanwhile, for other witnesses, namely, RJB as Director of Basic and Strategic Goods at the Director General of Domestic Trade of the Ministry of Trade for the period 2014 to 2016; DS who is the power of the Board of Directors of PT Kekaraya Asasetiawan.

Witness SSY as President Director of PT Gerbang Cahaya Utama; EW who is the Accounting Manager of PT Makassar; FN as the Sales Manager of PT Makassar Tene and PT Permata Dunia.

Then, VI as Factory Manager of PT Duta Sugar International; SR who is the Head of the Financial Management Division of PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (PT PPI); EC as Head of the Risk Management and Quality Division of PT PPI/Head of the 2016 Accounting Division; and PPD as Head of the Accounting and Tax Division of PT PPI.

So far, no details have been conveyed about what investigators have explored from the dozens of witnesses. It is only stated that if the collection of information is carried out to strengthen the process of proving the alleged criminal act of sugar importation with the suspect Tom Lembong.

"The witness examination was carried out to strengthen the evidence and complete the filing in the case," said Harli.

In the case of alleged corruption in sugar imports, Tom Lembong is considered to have violated the law for allowing 105 thousand tons of sugar imports to private companies. The permit was issued while serving as Minister of Trade for the 2015 to 2016 period.

Tom Lembong's decision violates the Decree of the Minister of Trade Number 527 of 2004. Because, in that regulation, only state-owned companies are allowed to import sugar.

Thus, Tom Lembong was charged with Article 2 Paragraph 1 or Article 3 Juncto Article 18 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021 Juncto Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption Crimes Juncto Article 55 Paragraph 1 to 1 of the Criminal Procedure Code.