The Attorney General's Office Has Examined 126 Witnesses In The Tom Lembong Sugar Import Corruption Case

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) continues to investigate the alleged corruption case of sugar imports with the suspect former Minister of Trade (Mendag) Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong. Recent developments, investigators have examined 126 witnesses.

"There are 126 witnesses who have been examined," said Head of the AGO, Harli Siregar to VOI, Wednesday, December 11.

Of the hundreds of witnesses who have been examined, one of them is Hendogiarto, who is the Director of PT Duta Sugar International. The examination was carried out on Tuesday, December 10.

Apart from witnesses, investigators have also asked for the field of 3 experts related to the alleged corruption case. However, it was not clearly stated what field experts had been questioned.

It is only stated that the marathon examination was carried out so that the alleged corruption case of sugar imports at the Ministry of Trade for the 2015-2016 period could be immediately transferred and entered into the judicial stage.

"Of course we hope that investigators will file it as soon as possible and submit it to the prosecution," said Harli.

Tom Lembong, who served as Minister of Trade in the 2015-2016 period, was named a suspect for granting a sugar import permit of 105 thousand tons to private companies, which violated the Decree of the Minister of Trade Number 527 of 2004.

Because, in this regulation, only state-owned companies are allowed to import sugar.

Tom Lembong was charged with Article 2 Paragraph 1 or Article 3 Juncto Article 18 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption Crimes Juncto Article 55 Paragraph 1 1 of the Criminal Procedure Code.