KLHK Names Investors In Mount Dako Illegal Mining Activities As Suspects

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

MAKASSAR - The investigator team from the Balai Gakkum KLHK Sulawesi Region has named A as the person in charge of illegal gold mining activities in the protected forest area of the Gunung Dako KPH area, as a suspect.

"Suspect A is currently being held at the Maesa Palu State Detention Center," said the Head of the KLHK's Balai Gakkum for the Sulawesi Region, Dodi Kurniawan, in Makassar, quoted by Antara, Thursday, September 16.

The suspect was charged with destroying the forest as stipulated in Article 89 Paragraph 1 Jo. Article 17 paragraph 1 Letter a and Letter b of Law no. 18 of 2013 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Forest Companies, which has been amended by Article 37 of Law no. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation and/or Article 78 Paragraph 2 Jo. Article 50 Paragraph 2 Letter a Law no. 41 of 1999 concerning Forestry which has been amended by Article 36 of Law no. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation Jo. Article 55 Paragraph 1 1 of the Criminal Code.

Dodi explained that the legal process began with the activities of the Forest Security Operations Team of the KLHK Balai Gakkum Sulawesi Region Section II Palu, together with KPH Gunung Dako on August 27, 2021 and found illegal gold mining activities in protected forest areas.

The mining activities are located in the Gunung Dako KPH area, around the Labanti River, Janja Village, Lampasio District, Toli-Toli Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. The gold mine has been started since July 2021 and does not have a permit.

Mining activities use two excavators. When the Team arrived at the location, August 29, 2021, there was only one excavator and secured the excavator used to mine the gold.

During the investigation process, the Investigating Team from the Balai Gakkum KLHK Sulawesi Region asked for information from a number of witnesses, expert statements related to forest area permits from the Central Sulawesi Forestry Service.

Based on expert information and the results of plotting the coordinates of the location of mining activities by BPKH Region XVI Palu, it is confirmed that it is in a state forest area with limited production forest status.

"When the Investigative Team held a case. As a result of the case title, the Investigative Team obtained more than two valid pieces of evidence and determined A from the witness to be a suspect," said Dodi.