Updates on the Investigation into Harita Group’s Subsidiary
Last month, news emerged that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) were investigating a criminal case involving PT Kemakmuran Pertiwi Tambang, a subsidiary of Harita Group. The case is related to abuse of authority in the issuance of license for the use of forest area (IPPKH) from the Ministry of Forestry (now the Ministry of Environment and Forestry), the misuse of CnC (clear and clear) certificate, and two other violations. The AGO have examined dozens of witnesses, and last week, the AGO reportedly examined the former Minister of Forestry Malem Sambat (MS) Kaban.
Updates on Irman Gusman’s Case: The Facts
The trial of the suspects in the case of alleged bribery regarding the distribution of additional quota of sugar for West Sumatera continues. On December 13, 2016, the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court held separate hearings for the three suspects. The hearings on the trial of the two bribe giver are already at the stage of listening to the demands of the Public Prosecutors, whereas in the last hearing on the trial of the former chairman of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Irman Gusman, the Public Prosecutors presented new facts.
Corruption in the Military
Less than two weeks has passed since the Panel of Judges of the II-08 Military Court in Jakarta convicted Brig. Gen. (Army) Teddy Hernayadi to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of corruption. On December 8, 2016 the same military court sentenced Teddy’s former subordinate Lt. Col. (Army) Rahmat Hernawan to 6 years imprisonment for his involvement in embezzlement of tax.
Sojitz Indonesia v. Global Perkasa Investindo
In early November 2016, PT Sojitz Indonesia, the subsidiary of Sojitz Corporation filed a bankruptcy lawsuit against PT Global Perkasa Investindo (GPI), a company founded by the former Secretary General of the Democratic Party Marzuki Alie. Sojitz Indonesia claimed that GPI had no good intention to pay their debts even after receiving two subpoenas. GPI, however, rejected the allegation and stated that they refused to pay the debts because Sojitz Indonesia was the one that committed the default.
The End for Rohadi
The former Registrar of North Jakarta District Court Rohadi, who was caught after receiving bribes related to the case of sexual abuse involving a celebrity named Saipul Jamil, was found guilty after two months of proceedings. In the last hearing held on December 8, 2016, the Panel of Judges of the Corruption Court oft the Central Jakarta District Court decided to sentence Rohadi to 7 years in prison.
Indonesia v. Churchill Mining: Victory for Indonesia
It has been more than a year since the last time we reported on the process of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID) trial on the dispute between the Government of Indonesia and Churchill Mining Plc and its subsidiary Planet Mining Pty Ltd. On December 6, 2016, the ICSID finally decided in favor of Indonesia. This is an important victory for Indonesia since it is the first time for the Government to win in international arbitral trial with the losing end required to pay compensation to the State.
RMI’s Bankruptcy
It’s only been a month since the Panel of Judges of the Commercial Court at the Central Jakarta District Court accepted the lawsuit of Suspension of Debts Payment (PKPU) filed against PT Resources Jaya Teknik Management Indonesia (RMI), and the process of PKPU is still in the temporary stage. But at the first voting session, the majority of the creditors refused to accept the peace proposal offered by the Company. The majority of the creditors also refused the Company’s request for time extension. As a result, the oil and gas contractor company must be deemed bankrupt.
New Suspect and Developments in Damayanti’s Case
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have been ramping up their investigation into the corruption in organization of the Trans-Seram road project, the case that brought down the former member of the House Commission V of the House of Representatives Damayanti Wisnu Putranti (PDI-P). The KPK have finally named a new suspect in the case and they continue to investigate for the possibility of naming yet another potential suspect.
On Ahok’s Blasphemy Case
The incumbent Governor of Jakarta Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama was named a suspect of blasphemy on November 16, 2016. A week later, the police finalized the docket of the case and transferred the documents to the North Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office. Within less than a week, the Prosecutor’s Office stated that the docket was complete and could thus be escalated to the stage of prosecution. The case was then registered at the North Jakarta District Court under case No. 1537/Pid.B/2016/PN JKT.UTR. The district court has appointed the Panel of Judges and set the date for the first hearing, but the police hesitates to determine the location of the trial.
Bumigas Energi v. Geo Dipa Energi: The Battle Continues
The dispute between a private energy company PT Bumigas Energi and the state-owned energy company PT Geo Dipa Energi (Persero) that has been going on for more than a decade continues. The dispute started as a dispute in civil law, but it later evolved into a criminal case after the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim Polri) named Geo Dipa’s former Managing Director Samsudin Warsa as a fraud suspect in late 2014. Almost two years later, the docket on the criminal case was escalated to the stage of prosecution and registered at the South Jakarta District Court.