The Attorney General's Office Confiscates IDR 565 Billion Related To The Sugar Import Corruption Case

Director of Investigation (Dirdik) Jampidsus, Abdul Qohar in a press conference on the case of importing sugar/PHOTO: Dadan Rahadian-VOI

JAKARTA - The Attorney General's Office (AGO) confiscated Rp565 billion from nine suspects in the corruption case of sugar importation.

Jampidsus Director of Investigation (Dirdik), Abdul Qohar, said this confiscation was part of the prosecutor's commitment to repay state losses due to criminal acts of corruption.

This case stems from the policy of the Minister of Trade at that time, Thomas Trikasih Lembong, which issued import approval (PI) of raw crystal sugar to nine private companies.

In fact, according to the provisions, the import of white crystal sugar should be carried out directly by state-appointed SOEs, not private companies. And the distribution mechanism is through market operations, but it is not carried out.

In addition, the issuance of the PI was carried out without a recommendation from the Ministry of Industry and without coordination with related agencies.

The investigative team named nine suspects in this case, namely:

- Tonny Wijaya Ng (PT Engel Product) IDR 150.8 billion

- Wisnu Hendraningrat (PT Andalan Furnindo) IDR 60.9 billion

- Hansen Setiawan (PT Sentra Usa Tama Jaya) IDR 41.3 billion

- Indra Suryaningrat (PT Medan Sugar Industry) IDR 77.2 billion

- Ten Suryanto Eka Prasetyo (PT Makassar Tene) IDR 39.2 billion

- Hendrigiarto Antonio Tiwo (PT Duta Sugar Internasional) IDR 41.2 billion

- Ali Sanjaya Budi Darmo (PT Kebun Tebumas) IDR 47.8 billion

- Henvalita Hutama (PT Berkah Manis Makmur) IDR 74.5 billion

- Eka Sapanca (PT Permata Dunia Sukses Utama) IDR 32 billion

The money confiscated from the suspects had been deposited in another Shelter Account (RPL) of the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes at Bank Mandiri.

"We will continue to process this case until the trial is open to the public. We hope this step can provide legal certainty and return state losses," said Abdul Qohar.