Southeast Aceh Prosecutor's Office Names Four Corruption Suspects For Procurement Of Corn Seeds Worth IDR 2.86 Billion

Illustration - Farmers dry harvested corn before it is threshed in Simpang Peut Village, Arongan Lambalek District, West Aceh Regency, Aceh. (Syifa Yulinnas/Antara)

JAKARTA - Southeast Aceh District Attorney (Kejari) investigators have named four suspects in the alleged corruption case in the procurement of corn seeds with a value of Rp. 2.86 billion. The head of the Southeast Aceh District Attorney's Office, Syaifullah in Southeast Aceh, Thursday, September 2, said the determination of the four suspects was after the investigating prosecutor pocketed a number of evidence. A total of four suspects, namely the initials AB, SP, KN, and KP. "The suspects have their respective roles in the alleged corruption," he said. Syaifullah said AB was a former head of the Southeast Aceh Regency Agriculture Service. , SP as the Commitment Making Officer (PPK), KN as the Head of Plantation at the Southeast Aceh Regency Agriculture Service, and KP as the contractor for the procurement of corn seeds.

He said the Southeast Aceh Regency Agriculture Service carried out the procurement of hybrid corn seeds in the 2020 Fiscal Year with a contract value of Rp. 2.86 billion from the budget ceiling of Rp. 2.94 billion. Medan, North Sumatra, asked about the availability of NK 017 hybrid corn seeds. At that time, he said, the corn seeds were available at a price of Rp. 68 thousand per kilogram. Then, the suspects KP and KN, met again with the distributor and offered a price of Rp. 65,000 per kilogram. "Then, KP and KN offered a price, so that it was agreed at Rp. 62,500 per kilogram. Furthermore, SP as PPK submitted an auction request at a price of Rp. ," he said. Furthermore, he said, the company that won the auction was appointed PT Fatara Julindo Putra. On 27 November 2020, 29,400 kilograms of NK 017 hybrid corn seeds were shipped. The suspects are suspected of inflating the price so that it costs the state finances Rp. 1 billion more than the procurement contract value of Rp. 2.86 billion. The suspects violated Article 2 Paragraph (1) jo Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 Paragraph (1) letter b of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was changed to Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code. asked for information from 18 witnesses. Investigators are still continuing to explore this case and complete the case file, "said Syaifullah.