Different From The KPK, The Attorney General's Office Will Process Surya Darmadi, A Suspect In Mega Corruption Of Rp. 78 Trillion In Absentia At Trial

JAKARTA - Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampisus) of the Attorney General's Office, Febrie Adriansyah, said his party would process Surya Darmadi, a suspect in the corruption case over oil palm land that cost the state Rp78 trillion in absentia.

"In absentia, the process has been completed," said Febrie when reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 10. This effort was made because until now investigators have not been able to bring Surya Darmadi. Investigators have properly summoned the suspect three times.

The summons has been sent to his residential address in Jakarta, then to Duta Palma Group's office address at Palma Tower, Pondok Pinang, South Jakarta, including his residence in Singapore.

Not long ago the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore issued an official statement stating that Surya Darmadi was not in the white lion country.

Responding to this, Febrie said that his party through the Prosecutor's Attaché in Singapore is still in talks. Jampidsus investigators are still searching for fugitive Surya Darmadi.

"The position is clear that investigators are still looking for it, his name is a fugitive, right? Not in Singapore, but in other places, investigators are also looking for it," said Febrie.

According to him, the trial in absentia will be held if his party fails to bring Surya Darmadi to the country. This is also related to the time limit for the investigation process carried out by investigators at the Roundhouse.

Febrie emphasized that the trial mechanism in absentia would not eliminate the opportunity for the AGO's ranks to return Surya Darmadi to the country. Because, the court's decision becomes stronger legal force to extradite the defendant.

In addition, said Febrie, the trial in absentia also did not prevent the prosecutor's office from recovering assets. In fact, Surya Darmadi's side will lose if the trial is held in absentia.

"If he is in absentia, he (Surya) is the one who loses, he can't defend perfectly, in absentia we will try without him, our goal is that we will confiscate his assets later," said Febrie.

In this case, investigators also suspect the Regent of Indragiri Hulu for the 1999-2008 period, Raja Thamsir Rachman.

On Monday (1/8), Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin revealed that the estimated state financial and economic losses caused by the case reached Rp78 trillion.

There is also a brief chronology of this case in 2003, Surya Darmadi is said to have made an agreement with Raja to facilitate the business activities of five companies under the Duta Palma group.

The five companies in question are PT Banyu Bening Utama, PT Panca Agro Lestari, PT Seberida Subur, PT Palma Satu, and PT Kencana Amal Tani.

Then, the plantation cultivation and palm oil processing businesses are located in conversion production forest (HPK), limited production forest (HPT), and other use forest (HPL) areas on an area of 37 thousand hectares.

According to Burhanuddin, the completeness of the permit was made against the law and without being preceded by a principle permit or environmental impact analysis. In addition, the Surya Darmadi group of companies also does not fulfill legal obligations in providing a partnership pattern of 20 percent of the total plantation area managed.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) confirmed that it is still trying to bring the owner of PT Duta Palma Group, Surya Darmadi, who is still at large, to trial. This step is different from the Attorney General's Office, which opens the opportunity to carry out hearings in absentia or without attendance.

Plt. KPK Spokesperson for Enforcement, Ali Fikri, said this step was taken because Surya was named a suspect for giving bribes. Meanwhile, the Attorney General's Office named him a suspect in corruption that caused state losses.

"(At the KPK, ed) he is suspected of being a bribe giver. So we are not talking about state losses. In-absentia can be done if in the end there is the confiscation of the proceeds of corruption from the state's losses," said Ali to reporters at the KPK Rupbasan Building. , Cawang, East Jakarta, 10 August.

This is the reason why the KPK will not try Surya Darmadi in absentia. As a bribe, he must be held accountable for his actions.

"For the giver (bribes, ed) is there a replacement money? Isn't it not. Now this has made the KPK so far not take the in-absentia option because the article on bribery is different from article 2, article 3, which can confiscate assets," said Ali .