East Kolaka PEN Fund Bribery Case Suspects To Be Tried Soon

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has handed over evidence and the suspect, Head of the Muna Regency Environmental Service, Southeast Sulawesi, Laode M. Syukur Akbar (LMSA) to the prosecution so that they can be tried immediately.

Laode M. Syukur is a suspected recipient in a bribery case related to the application for the National Economic Recovery Fund (PEN) for East Kolaka Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, in 2021.

"Today, Phase II (submission of the suspect and evidence) of the LMSA suspect from the investigative team to the Prosecutor's Team has been carried out because the results of checking and checking the completeness of the case files have been fully fulfilled," said Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri in a statement, quoted by Antara, Monday. , May 23.

Ali said the Prosecutor's Team was still continuing to detain the suspect for the next 20 days from May 23, 2022 to June 11, 2022 at the KPK Detention Center at Pomdam Jaya Guntur, Jakarta.

"To speed up the prosecution process, the Prosecutor's Team will immediately transfer the case files along with the indictment to the Corruption Court within 14 working days," said Ali.

In addition to Laode M. Syukur, the KPK has named two other suspects, namely the former Director General of Regional Finance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Mochamad Ardian Noervianto (MAN) as the recipient and the inactive Regent of East Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi Andi Merya Nur (AMN) as the giver.

The KPK explained that the suspect Ardian had duties, among others, to carry out a form of direct government investment in the form of a 2021 PEN loan from the central government to the regional government through PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI). The investment is in the form of program and/or activity loans according to regional needs.

In March 2021, Andi Merya contacted Laode M. Syukur for assistance in obtaining a PEN loan for East Kolaka Regency. In addition to contacting Laode M. Syukur, Andi Merya also asked LM Rusdianto Emba for help, who also knew the suspect Ardian well.

Furthermore, in May 2021, Laode M. Syukur brought Andi Merya together with Ardian at the Ministry of Home Affairs Building, Jakarta. Andy Merya applied for a PEN loan of Rp350 billion and asked Ardian to oversee and support the loan application process.

The KPK suspects that the suspect Ardian asked for compensation for his role by asking for a sum of 3 percent of the value of the loan application, with details of 1 percent for the issuance of considerations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, 1 percent for an initial assessment from the Ministry of Finance, and 1 percent for signing a memorandum of understanding between PT SMI and PT SMI. East Kolaka Regency Government.

Andi Merya fulfilled Ardian's wish and sent Rp2 billion to Laode M. Syukur's bank account. LM Rusdianto Emba was aware of the giving of money as the initial stage of compensation.

The KPK suspects that Ardian received 131,000 Singapore dollars, equivalent to Rp. 1.5 billion, which was given directly to his private home in Jakarta, and Laode M. Syukur received Rp. 500 million.

Suspect Ardian is suspected of actively monitoring the handover process, even though at that time he was carrying out self-isolation by always communicating with several trusted people who had been introduced to Laode M. Syukur.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated that Andi Merya's application for a PEN fund loan was approved by adding Ardian's initials to the final draft of the Minister of Home Affairs' letter to the Minister of Finance.