Former Riau Governor Annas Maamun Files Pretrial, KPK: It's Usual

Former Riau Governor Annas Maamun (Photo: Wardhani Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The former Governor of Riau, Annas Maamun, has submitted a pretrial to the South Jakarta Court regarding his status as a suspect in the alleged bribery of the ratification of the 2014-2015 RAPBD of Riau Province by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

This submission was made on Thursday, March 24. In his lawsuit, Annas questioned his legal status in this case.

Annas assessed that the KPK determined him as a suspect not in accordance with applicable law. This pretrial is registered with letter number 21/Pid.Pra/2022/PN JKT.SEL.

Responding to the pretrial submission, the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Karyoto said that the pretrial submission is a common thing. They are certainly ready to face the lawsuit.

"Pre-trial issues are normal, we will proceed, then there will be a normal pre-trial," Karyoto said on the Indonesian KPK's YouTube show quoted on Thursday, March 31.

He said pretrial is the right of a suspect. So, Karyoto said, the KPK would not talk further.

"That is the right of the suspect to determine himself, because since the Constitutional Court's decision, the determination of the suspect has become a pretrial area," he said.

"This is normal, we have to face the consequences, whatever the results we will see," added Karyoto. Previously, the KPK detained Annas Maamun for the first 20 days until April 18 at the KPK Detention Center in Lot C1.

This case began when Annas served as Governor of Riau in the 2014-2019 period and sent the Draft General Budget Policy (KUA) and the 2015 Provisional Budget Priorities and Ceilings (PPAS) to the Chair of the Riau Provincial DPRD, which was held by Johar Firdaus.

However, in the proposal it turns out that there are several items related to the budget allocation that have been changed. One of them, related to the budget for the construction of livable houses that should be carried out by the PUPR Service, is the responsibility of the Community Empowerment Agency and Village Government (BPMPD).

This proposal has not yet met an agreement at the Riau Provincial DPRD level. Thus, Annas offered money and other facilities such as official vehicle loans. The goal is that the proposal can be agreed upon.

The KPK said that the money given to representatives of DPRD members reached Rp. 900 million.

For his actions, Annas as a bribe giver was then suspected of violating Article 5 paragraph (1) letter a or letter b or Article 13 of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.