Former Aceh Tamiang Regent Charged With Land Corruption Rp6.4 Billion

BANDA ACEH - The public prosecutor (JPU) charged the former Regent of Aceh Tamiang, Aceh,Musril with a criminal act of land corruption with state losses reaching Rp6.4 billion.

The indictment was read out by the Public Prosecutor Ichwan Effendi and his friends from the Aceh Tamiang District Attorney's Office at the Banda Aceh Corruption Court in Banda Aceh, Wednesday, October 25.

The trial with the panel of judges chaired by Sadri and accompanied by Hamzah Sulaiman and Ani Hartati, each as member judges. Defendant Musril attended the trial accompanied by his legal adviser Junaidi, Zulfan, and friends.

The public prosecutor in his indictment stated that the defendant Mursil in 2009 served as Head of the Aceh Tamiang District State Land Agency (BPN).

According to the prosecutor, the defendant allegedly received Rp100 million from witness Tengku Rusli who was also charged in a separate case file for the issuance of six land certificates.

"The land certification is from the former right to use for oil palm plantation (HGU) PT Desa Jaya. The HGU permit ends in 1988 and has never been extended until now. This means that the HGU land is state land," said the Public Prosecutor

"Then, the defendant issued the ex-HGU land certificate. Some time later, the Aceh Tamiang Regency Government made compensation for the land with a value of Rp. 6.4 billion," said the prosecutor as quoted by ANTARA.

Apart from the defendant Musril, the Public Prosecutor charged two other defendants in the same case, but with separate files. The two defendants, namely Tengku Yusni and Tengku Rusli.

Tengku Yusni was charged with controlling state land whose HGU permit had expired since 1988. The land area of the former HGU was the first to reach 885.65 hectares and the second land with an area of 1,658 hectares. Both lands are located in Aceh Tamiang Regency

"The profit from the control of state land used as oil palm plantations has caused state economic losses to reach Rp7.9 billion," said the public prosecutor.

After hearing the prosecutor's indictment, the panel of judges asked whether the defendant Mursil filed an exception or a rebuttal against the indictment or not.

"We will file an exception. Therefore, we ask for a few days to prepare a rebuttal on the indictment of the public prosecutor," said Junaidi, the defendant's legal adviser, Mursil.

The panel of judges will continue the trial next week with the agenda of hearing the exception or rebuttal to the indictment of the public prosecutor.