Tom Lembong Sugar Import Corruption, AGO Examines Ministry Of Agriculture-Bea Employees And Excise

Kapuspenkum AGO, Harli Siregar At The AGO Building, Jakarta, Thursday 19 July 2024 (Rizky AP/VOI)

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) examined five witnesses in the handling of the alleged corruption case of sugar imports with the suspect Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong. Four of them are Customs and Excise employees and the other is from the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan).

"Examining five witnesses related to the alleged corruption case in sugar importation activities," said Head of the AGO, Harli Siregar, to reporters, Friday, November 29.

For four witnesses from Customs and Excise, DA as Head of the Enforcement and Investigation Section at the Medan Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office (TMP) B.

Then, WA as Head of the Customs Supervision and Service Office of Customs Type Customs B Gresik; CU who is the Head of the Sub-Directorate for Imports of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise; and MTD as Head of the Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office of Customs and Excise Type A Marunda

Meanwhile, for one other witness, YW as the Working Team for the Development of Sugarcane Plants and Other Sweetmans, Ministry of Agriculture.

So far, it has not been explained what the investigators investigated from the five witnesses. It was only conveyed when the examination took place on Thursday, November 28, yesterday.

"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 was named a suspect because he allowed the import of 105 thousand tons of sugar 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.

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.