The Attorney General's Office Calls Former Trade Minister Lutfi As Witness In CPO Case

Former trade minister Muhammad Lutfi (left) walked out of the room after undergoing an examination at the Jampidsus Roundabout Building, Attorney General's Office, Jakarta, Wednesday (22/6/2022). (ANTARA)

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has again summoned former Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi for questioning as a witness related to the investigation into the corruption case of the export approval of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivative products, including cooking oil, with three corporate suspects. "The summons is scheduled for investigators on Tuesday, August 1, 2023," said Head of the Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum) at the North Sumatra AGO in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, July 27. Lutfi was previously questioned on June 21, 2022 for 12 hours for a similar case with a different suspect. At that time, Lutfi was questioned for five suspects who have now been convicted and sentenced to prison within five to eight years. The five convicts are former director general (dirjen) of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) Indra Sari Wisnu Wardhana, Member of the Assistant Team of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Lin Chen Wei, Commissioner of PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia Master Palulian Tumanggor, Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs PT Victorindo Alam Lestari Stanley MA, and General Manager of General Affairs Section PT Musim Mas Pierre Togas Sitanggang. Prior to Lutfi's examination on Tuesday, the investigating prosecutor had asked for information from the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto on Monday, July 24. Airlangga was examined for 12 hours as a witness to clarify the alleged corruption case in the provision of CPO export facilities and derivative products in the palm oil industry, including cooking oil, for the January-April 2022 period. Regarding the recall of Airlangga Hartarto, Ketut said there was a possibility that he would be summoned again if investigators needed further information. "For AH (Airlangga Hartarto), it is possible to be summoned again if investigators still need his statement for further investigation," he said.

Jampidsus investigators have also examined the Head of the Coordinator for Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Economy Musdalifah Machmud as a witness. The examination was carried out to strengthen the evidence and complete the filing in the case.