Former Director General Of Energy And Mineral Resources Charged With Involvement In Tin Corruption

The trial of reading the indictment of the alleged tin corruption case at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Monday (30/12/2024). (ANTARA/Agatha Olivia Victoria)

Director General (Dirjen) of Mineral and Coal (Minerba) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) 2015-2022 Bambang Gatot Ariyono was charged with being involved and receiving money in the alleged corruption case of the management of tin commodity trading in the mining business permit (IUP) area of PT Timah Tbk. in 2015 2022.

"As a result of his actions that were against the law, the state suffered a loss of Rp. 300 trillion," said the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Attorney General's Office (AGO) Teuku Rahmatsyah during a trial reading the indictment at the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 30.

The prosecutor explained that Bambang was suspected of unlawfully agreeing to the 2019 Revised Budget and Cost Work Plan (RKAB) of PT Timah, even though he knew there were still uncomplemented shortcomings.

The shortcomings referred to, namely the analysis study aspect concerning Environmental Impact (Amdal) and feasibility studies to facilitate PT Timah in accommodating the purchase of illegal tin ore from illegal mining results in the marginal reserve area of PT Timah's IUP area.

Bambang was also charged with facilitating PT Timah in cooperation in processing, purification, and logging with private smelters who took and processing lead ore from illegal mining in the PT Timah IUP area.

In addition, Bambang is suspected of still issuing approval for the project area of PT Timah even though the PT Timah processing (processing) cooperation activities with private smelters, including PT Refined Bangka Tin, CV Venus Inti Perkasa, PT Sarijuna Binasentosa, PT Stanindo Inti Perkasa, and PT Tinindo Internusa had already been carried out before the approval of the determination of the area project.

In fact, continued the Public Prosecutor, the cooperation was not contained in the 2019 feasibility study and RKAB of PT Timah, so that PT Timah and the private smelter could freely collect and process tin ore resulting from illegal mining in the PT Timah IUP area.

The prosecutor explained that Bambang was also charged against the law of receiving a sum of money and facilities to approve the 2019 RKAB Revision of PT Timah in the form of Rp60 million in cash and sponsors of annual golf activities carried out by IKA Minerba Golf, Mineral Golf Club, and Coal Golf Club facilitated by PT Timah.

The sponsor that Bambang received in the form of prizes or door prizes for IPhone 6 for IDR 12 million and three hours for Garmin brands for IDR 21 million.

In the same trial, there was the Director of Production Operations of PT Timah Tbk 2017-2020 Alwin Albar and the former Plt. Head of the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bangka Belitung Supianto who was charged with corruption together with Bambang in the case.

Alwin, among other things, is suspected of not carrying out his duties and responsibilities as Director of PT Timah in carrying out PT Timah's management for the Company's interests in accordance with the Company's aims and objectives as stipulated in the legislation regarding illegal mining activities in the PT Timah IUP area.

Meanwhile, Supianto was accused of unlawfully agreeing to the 2020 RKAB whose contents were incorrect to two private smelters, namely PT Refined Bangka Tin and its affiliated company and PT Menara Cipta Mulia (affiliate CV Venus Inti Perkasa).

The RKAB should be used as a basis for mining in the IUP region of each of its smelter and affiliated companies, but the RKAB is also used as legalization for the collection and management of tin ore resulting from illegal mining in the PT Timah IUP area.