The trial of the disgraced Regent of North Lampung one Agung Ilmu Mangkunegara (Nasdem) ended recently. Agung Ilmu who stands trial for allegedly asking for grafts was found guilty. The other defendants in the case were also declared guilty. Separately, the trials in the case of corruption involving the Commissioner of PT Wahana Auto Ekamarga one Darwin Maspolim— who supposedly bribed several officials of the Tax Office—also ended recently. All former officials of the Tax Office have been found guilty. 

Joko Soegiarto Tjandra, otherwise known as Djoko Tjandra, has been a hot topic for the past week. Joko was convicted in the Bank Bali cessie case and is an international fugitive. But in early June 2020, Joko was able to freely return to Indonesia, officially renew his E-KTP, and register his Reconsideration (PK) petition in person at the South Jakarta District Court. From the series of events, no one was aware of his presence other than his legal counsel. The Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights are busy explaining themselves to the House of Representatives. The ridiculous incident aside, we look at the argument Joko uses in his Reconsideration petition.

Despite strong objections from Grab Indonesia, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) continued examining the allegations of unhealthy business practices in the Company. The examination stage lasted nearly ten months. The last time we reported on the matter was in March 2020, before the COVID-19 outbreak forced the KPPU to cease its operation. The KPPU continued working recently. On July 2, 2020, the Assembly declared Grab Indonesia and its partner PT Teknologi Pengangkutan Indonesia (PT TPI) guilty. 

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) held a sting operation in Jakarta and East Kalimantan on the afternoon of July 2, 2020. By July 3, 2020, the KPK announced seven suspects of bribery. Among those in the receiving end are the Regent of East Kutai one Ismunandar (Nasdem) and his wife Encek Unguria R Firgasih, who happens to be the Chief of the regency’s DPRD from PPP. 

In the midst of various controversial policies from Governor Anies Baswedan that are deemed negligent in times of pandemic, the Governor recently issued another, and even more controversial decision, related to reclamation. During his campaign against then Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama back in 2017, Anies Baswedan promised to stop the reclamation project planned in the Jakarta Bay. But after taking the office, Anies is unable to keep his promise. Now, he issued permission on a new reclamation project. This extends the list of Anies’ lies.

The process of Suspension of Debt Payment (PKPU) of Koperasi Simpan Pinjam Indosurya Cipta (Kospin)—-a cooperative running operations like a bank with over US$1 billion of funds from third parties vanished—-was supposed to be determined during the meeting held on July 2, 2020. However, the clients are not satisfied with the peace proposal submitted to them and therefore the Company said they will provide another proposal with a more detailed explanations. The meeting will resume on July 6, 2020. 

After waiting for years, by the end of October 2019, the trial of money laundering suspect Tubagus Chaeri Wardana (Wawan) finally started. We all know that Wawan—-brother of former Banten governor Ratu Atut—-is already a graft convict and despite his situation, while serving his term, he was named a suspect for committing another crime. Now he is standing trial in a separate case from the one of which he was convicted. This trial, one of the largest of money laundering cases in the country, although revealing how Wawan used his sister’s power to commit crimes in various ways, unfortunately went far beyond the media coverage. On June 29, 2020, the prosecutors had read their demands. 

In August 2019, the Riau Regional Police announced that they had named a corporate suspect whom they believe is responsible for contributing to the spread of forest fires in the region. In addition to the Company, the police also named the Company’s manager as individual suspect. The Company is the first corporate suspect announced to the public in 2019 related to forest fires. Far from media coverage, the trial of the Company and the individual suspect started in December 2019. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry also sued the Company at the Central Jakarta District Court. The Company, namely PT Sumber Sawit Sejahtera and one Alwi Harahap had been declared guilty towards the end of May 2020 but the parties decided to appeal. 

At the beginning of June 2020, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) managed to arrest the former Secretary of the Supreme Court Nurhadi Abdurrahman, and his son-in-law. Both had been on the run for four months. The KPK named the two men along with a businessman as suspects in the case of bribery. The inquisition of Nurhadi and his son-in-law are ongoing. The latest witness examination is worth noting.

Imam Nahrawi, the former Minister of Youth and Sports, who was accused of accepting grafts during his term of office, was found guilty earlier this week. Imam pleaded to become a Justice Collaborator, but the Panel of Judges decided to reject his proposal. They also revoked Imam’s political rights. Separately, the prosecution process on the Bengkalis graft case which brought down the then Regent of Bengkalis Amril Mukminin continues. The KPK named two new suspects in 2019 and ten new suspects earlier this year. Recently, the KPK read its demands for one of the new suspects, while the trial of Amril commenced last week.