Prosecutor's Office Targets Suspect Of Iron Mining Corruption, NTB Regional Secretary Examined

Illustration of corruption

Regional Secretariat (Sekda) of West Nusa Tenggara Province Lalu Gita Ariadi (LGA) underwent investigation by prosecutors related to the alleged corruption case of an iron sand mine in the Dedalpak Block, East Lombok Regency.

Spokesperson for the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Efrien Saputera, in Mataram, confirmed that the regional official underwent examination as a witness.

"Yes, LGA (Then Gita Ariadi) today was examined as a witness," said Efrien as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, March 24.

Regarding the examination material, Efrien refused to provide information considering that this was the investigator's authority. "Later it will be delivered during the trial," he said.

Then Gita Ariadi underwent investigators' examination for about two hours. The examination took place before Friday prayers.

The regional official was seen returning to the NTB Prosecutor's Office Building using an official vehicle at around 14.00 WITA.

Regarding the arrival of this second time, Efrien admitted that he had not received additional information from investigators. "What's going on (the examination), I'll check first," he said.

With today's examination, then Gita Ariadi was recorded as having fulfilled the investigators' summons as a witness in the alleged corruption case of an iron sand mine.

It was later revealed that Lalu Gita Ariadi in this case was related to his previous position as Head of the NTB Investment and One Stop Integrated Service (DPMPTSP).

Apart from the NTB Regional Secretary, there were dozens of witnesses who had undergone examination before the prosecutor's investigators. Most of them are regional officials. They include the Regent of East Lombok Sukiman Azmy, the former Regent of East Lombok Ali Bin Dachlan, officials of the NTB ESDM Service and the NTB Representative Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, along with the Head of the NTB ESDM Service with the initials ZA who is now one of the two suspects.

There was also an examination of the company holding an iron sand mining permit in the Dedalpak Block, PT Anugerah Mitra Graha (AMG) with the status of the director with the initials RA who accompanied ZA as a suspect.

The existence of PT Semen Baturaja (SMBR) from Palembang which has the status of a company for buying materials from an iron sand mine from PT AMG is included in the prosecutor's list of examinations.

Investigators named ZA and RA as suspects, Monday (13/3), by applying criminal charges Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law no. 20 of 2001.

Investigators named both of them as suspects based on the results of the case title which found indications of abuse of authority in the iron sand mining activities by PT AMG in the Dedalpak Block.

After the determination, investigators made arrests by entrusting the two suspects to the State Detention Center (Rutan) at the Mataram Class IIA Correctional Institution (Lapas).

Assistant for Special Crimes (Aspidsus) of the NTB Prosecutor's Office, Ely Rahmawati, in a previous statement confirmed that the investigation of this case had not been completed until the determination and detention of the two suspects.

However, there are still a series of activities to strengthen evidence, both from witness statements, the two suspects, and state losses from the NTB Representative Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

Dengan agenda demikian, Ely menyebutkan adanya potensi penetapan tersangka baru dari kasus yang berjalan pada tahap penyidikan sejak 18 Januari 2023 sesuai dengan Surat Perintah Kepala Kejati NTB Nomor: Print-01/N.2/Fd.1/01/2023.

In this case, PT AMG was revealed to have the legality of an iron sand mining permit on an area of 1,348 hectares. The permit is valid for 15 years from 2011 to 2026.

The permit was issued based on the Decree of the Regent of East Lombok Number: 2821/503/PPT.II/2011 concerning Approval to Improve Mining Business Permits (IUP) Exploration to IUP for Production of Iron Sand and Mineral Followers in the Dedalpak Block which is included in Pringgabaya District and Labuhan Haji District, East Lombok Regency.

In the period 2021 to 2022, it is indicated that PT AMG will continue to carry out mining without obtaining approval from the annual work plan and budget (RKAB) from the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.