Tom Lembong Sugar Corruption Case, AGO Examines Two Corporate Witnesses

Head of the Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum) AGO, Harli Siregar. (Photo: Doc. Attorney General's Office)

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) continues to investigate the alleged corruption case of sugar imports that have named former Trade Minister (Mendag) Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong as a suspect.

Recent developments, investigators examined two witnesses who were studies from the private sector.

"Examining two witnesses related to the alleged corruption case in sugar importation activities at the Ministry of Trade for the period 2015 to 2016," said Head of the AGO's Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum), Harli Siregar, quoted on Saturday, December 14.

The two private parties are STM from PT Gangsar Alam Semesta and ETK who are representatives of PT Saudara Kusuma Era Sejahtera.

However, it was not clearly conveyed about the examination material of the two witnesses. It is only mentioned if the series of statements is taken in order to strengthen the evidence and complete the filing in the case in question.

"The two witnesses were examined in connection with the investigation of the alleged corruption case in sugar importation activities," said Harli.

So far, more than a hundred witnesses have been questioned. The number will continue to grow as the investigation process progresses.

"There are 126 witnesses who have been examined," 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 105,000 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.

Thus, 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 Crime in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph 1 of the 1st Criminal Procedure Code.