Waiting For KPK To Read The Allegations Against Edhy Prabowo Related To Bribery Export Permit Benur

Archive - Former Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo (Photo: Reno Esnir/Antara)

JAKARTA - Former Marine Minister Edhy Prabowo will undergo a preliminary hearing with the agenda of reading the indictment today, Thursday, April 15. He will be tried after being the recipient of bribes related to the export permit of lobster seeds or benur.

"The first hearing is on Thursday, April 15," said Central Jakarta District Court Public Relations Bambang Nurcahyono some time ago through his written statement.

In addition to Edhy, there are five other defendants who will stand trial reading the indictment. They were Edhy's private secretary, Amiril Mukminin; administrator of PT Aero Citra Kargo (ACK), Siswadi; and staff of Edhy's wife, Ainul Faqih. The three defendants were tried in a case file number: 28/Pid.Sus.TPK/2021.

Meanwhile, one of Edhy's special staff, Andreau Misanta Pribadi and Safri, will be tried in file number: 27/Pid.Sus.TPK/2021.

The defendants were charged with Article 12 letter a or Article 11 of Law (Uu) Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st Criminal Code Jo Article 65 paragraph (1) penal code.

So how did this export permit bribery case begin?

Edhy became the first minister in the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet to be arrested by the KPK. He was arrested at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten upon arrival from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA after a working visit on November 25.

At that time the antirasuah commission team arrested 17 people including Edhy's wife who is also a member of the House of Representatives Commission V Iis Rosita Dewi.

After conducting intensive examinations, Edhy and six others were Stafsus Menteri KP Safri and Andreau Pribadi Misata; administrator of PT Aero Citra Kargo Siswandi; staff of Edhy's wife, Ainul Faqih; Amiril Mukminin; and Director of PT Dua Putra Perkasa Suharjito was named as a suspect in the alleged bribery case related to the export of benur or lobster seeds.

In this case, Edhy allegedly received bribes related to lobster seed export permits reaching Rp9.8 billion. This money is even said to have been used to shop for various luxury items such as Rolex watches, Tumi and Luis Vuitton luggage bags, Hermes bags, Jacob n Co watches, to roadbikes and bicycles.

The case then entered a number of new chapters, including the unraveling of a bank guarantee called the mode to hold money from exporters of benur or lobster seeds. Because, this system has no clear legal basis.

"In the clause of the statement of the exporter, that this item does not exist (the rule of law, red), finally (wait, red) the new presidential regulation. He (exporter, red) is ready to voluntarily grant to the state," said Deputy Crackdown and Execution kpk Karyoto in a press conference that aired on the YouTube account kpk ri, Wednesday, March 24.

"That is, legally it should not be. There has to be a new rule of levies," he added.

Furthermore, even if the money worth Rp52.3 billion is for PNPB, Karyoto said, this money can not go into the state treasury. Because, there are no binding rules so that the government can disburse the money that is there.

"So this was confiscated and then seized to the state," he said.

Regarding this bank guarantee, KPK suspects that when Edhy Prabowo served as Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, he ordered the Secretary General of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Antam Novambar to make a written warrant.

This letter relates to the withdrawal of bank guarantees from exporters to the Head of fish quarantine, quality control, and fishery product safety agency (BKIPM). Furthermore, the Head of BKIPM ordered the Head of Jakarta Quarantine Office I Soekarno Hatta to receive the Bank Guarantee.

It's just that, later known, the rules of handing over the bank's guarantee as a form of commitment from the implementation of lobster seed exports were never there.

Controversy in bribery case

The investigation into the case has also come under the spotlight. Moreover, after the KPK mentioned that there is no need to conduct an examination of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Antam Novambar and Irjen KKP Muhammad Yusuf even though both know about bank guarantees.

The reason kpk no longer calls both is because the flow of money in the case that ensnared Edhy and a number of his men is clear.

This highlight came from Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana. He questioned the reason kpk who felt no need to call both.

"ICW suspects that the Deputy's statement does not represent the attitude of KPK investigators but rather a personal desire to be reluctant to examine certain parties in this case including Secretary General of kkp Antam Novambar," ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said in a written statement to reporters, Thursday, March 25.

This suspicion arose after Karyoto's statement was different from the statement of Acting Kpk Spokesman for Enforcement, Ali Fikri.

At that time, said Kurnia, Ali once stated that former Marine Minister Edhy Prabowo had ordered the creation of a written warrant against Antam related to bank guarantees.

Therefore, ICW assessed the former Wakabareskrim Polri was aware of sitting about the case. Antam according to ICW should be examined by investigators.

"After all, the deputy's remarks seemed to confirm the fact that Antam had actually been sent a summons as a witness some time ago by the KPK," he said.

In addition, ICW also mentioned that it is odd if the KPK does not check the parties allegedly related to confiscated goods. The goods in question are money from bank guarantees amounting to Rp52.3 billion from exporters of benur or lobster seeds.

"Therefore, ICW encourages the KPK leadership to reprimand the Deputy Of Enforcement for issuing a statement contrary to the work of KPK investigators," he said at the time.