Near the end of 2017, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) uncovered a corruption scheme in Jambi and the investigation into the case later ensnared several people including the Governor Zumi Zola. Zumi Zola was convicted in December 2018 but the KPK did not stop investigating. The KPK later named dozens of members of the Jambi DPRD as suspects in the same case, but the investigation should not end with just that because the trials of the convicts revealed allegation that there are over 50 members of the DPRD who received money from the scheme.

After nearly three months of trial, the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court finally read the verdict for Eni Maulani Saragih, the former Deputy Chairman of the House Commission VII of the House of Representative (Golkar), who is standing trial for her involvement in the case of corruption related to the construction of the Riau Power Plant. Eni, whom the prosecutors believe to be the key person in the case, was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment on March 1, 2019. Separately, in a hearing held on the same day, the same court listened to the prosecutors demands for Eddy Sindoro, who’s standing trial for his involvement in the case of bribery implicating Lippo Group.

By the end of 2017, the Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan reversed the stance of the Jakarta Government on the controversial draft of Regional Regulation (Raperda) on the North Jakarta Coastal Strategic Spatial Plan (RTRKSP) and the Raperda on the Zoning Plan for Coastal Areas and Small Islands of the Province of Jakarta for 2015-2035 (RZWP3K). A year later, Governor Anies decided to stop the project and cancelled the licenses to build 13 islands (out of 17 islands). Several months after that he gave the green light for the construction of 7.6 kilometer-long road access to connect two new islands. The food court area built on the Island D also has been operational since the end of December 2018. Environmental activists are challenging this situation. In addition to the controversy, the Governor must face a lawsuit filed by PT Manggala Krida Yudha.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a sting operation on November 18, 2018 and subsequently named several people as graft suspects including the Regent of Pakpak Bharat one Remigo Yolando Berutu. The KPK did not disclosed the identity of the briber in the case until December 2018 but the inquisition process was completed within less than two months and the trial of the briber begin this week. Separately, the small case the KPK uncovered near the end of 2018 related to the construction of Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) turns out to be a huge scheme of corruption. As per February 26, 2019, the KPK already received money from over 50 Commitment-Making Officials, money that were allegedly given as bribes.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) made the Governor of Aceh Irwandi Yusuf a suspect of bribery following the sting operation conducted in July 2018. Other than Irwandi, the KPK also named three other suspects in the case. By October 2018, the KPK announced that they had named Irwandi a suspect in an additional graft case. Irwandi’s trial began on November 26, 2018, and we learned more about the said case from each hearing. This week the trial continues.

The trial of the bribees in the case of corruption involving the former Regent of Bekasi one Neneng Hassanah Yasin finally began on February 27, 2019. The Corruption Court of the Bandung District Court listened to the indictment of five defendants. The content of the indictment of the bribees is similar to the content of the indictment of the bribers.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced their investigation and inquisition into the Bengkalis graft case back in August 2017. At the time, the KPK named the Regional Secretary of Dumai one Muhammad Nasir and President Director of PT Mawatindo Road Construction one Hobby Siregar as suspects. The investigation revolves around the project to improve the function of Batu Panjang road, in Pangkalan Nyirih, Bengkalis regency, which was done in the 2013-2015 fiscal year. Recently the KPK examined the Regent of Bengkalis. The KPK also examined dozens of other parties, mostly from the private sector, including Subhan Aksa, son of Aksa Mahmud, who is now the president director of PT Bosowa Maros.

It has been over three years since we were exposed to the internal dispute between the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and their own prosecutor, i.e., the former Chief of Maluku High Prosecutors’ Office (Kajati Maluku) Chuck Suryosumpeno. Prosecutor Chuck was demoted in 2015 for allegedly embezzling the assets recovered from the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) case worth Rp1.9 trillion. Chuck fought back and filed several lawsuits demanding his old position. But Chuck’s fight ended on the stage of cassation with the Assembly of Cassation of the Supreme Court rejecting his petition. After that, Chuck was officially dismissed from his position and sacked from the institution. In October 2018, the Supreme Court’s Assembly of Reconsideration miraculously ruled in favor of Chuck and ordered the AGO to reinstate him, but instead of following the order, the AGO named Chuck a suspect on the mentioned case. Last week, the AGO registered the dockets of the suspects for prosecution.

PT Sunprima Nusantara Pembiayaan (SNP Finance) was bankrupt per October 2018, but as we all know, besides its debts dispute, the Company is also subject to police investigation for allegedly embezzling the credit facilities it received from 14 banks. The police had reportedly expedited the docket of the first batch of suspects to the Attorney General’s Office on the first week of November 2018 but to this day there has not been much progress on the investigation and inquisition. Meanwhile, the case has caused collateral damages. PT MNC Sekuritas and dozens of other parties must face a tort lawsuit filed by PT Tugu Reasuransi Indonesia (Tugu Re), subsidiary of PT Asuransi Tugu Pratama Indonesia Tbk (TUGU). Tugu Re demanded Rp1 trillion in compensation for the losses the Company incurred after they bought SNP Finance’s Medium Term Notes (MTN).

Sjamsul Nursalim through his legal counsel filed a civil lawsuit against an auditor of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and also against the institution of BPK concerning the audit report on the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI). Are the BPK and its auditors not protected with immunity?