Suara.com – Acting Governor of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Lalu Gita Ariadi complied with the summons of KPK investigators to be questioned as a witness in the corruption case that ensnared the former Mayor of Bima Muhammad Lutfi.
After undergoing an examination, Ariadi admitted that he was questioned by investigators regarding a company’s mining business permit when he served as Head of the NTB Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Service (DPMPTSP).
“The question is related to the substance of the permit issuance process for the PT Tukad Mas special operations mining business permit,” Ariandi told reporters at the KPK’s Red and White Building, Newsdelivers.com, Tuesday (21/11/2023).
He said the mining licensing process for the company was proceeding in accordance with applicable procedures.
“Safe, in accordance with the SOP. There are technical considerations from the technical service, namely the ESDM service,” he said.
After the mining company’s permit was issued, he admitted that he no longer served as head of DPMPTSP.
“At that time I was issued on October 2 2019, then on December 19 2019 I became regional secretary of West Nusa Tenggara province, so the process after the permit was issued I did not follow the developments,” he said.
As is known, Lutfi was named by the KPK as a suspect. While serving as mayor, he was suspected of committing corruption amounting to IDR 8.6 billion in the procurement of goods and services within the Bima City government.
Project Conditioning
Previously, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) revealed the construction of a corruption case worth Rp. 8.6 billion that ensnared Bima Mayor Muhammad Lutfi. He is said to have carried out project conditioning within the Bima City government environment with someone from his immediate family.
“Around 2019, MLI (Lutfi) together with one of his immediate family began to design projects that would be carried out by the Bima City government,” said KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri when holding a press conference at the KPK’s Red and White Building, Newsdelivers.com on Thursday (5/ 10).
Conditioning was carried out by requesting documents for various projects from the Public Works and Spatial Planning Service (PUPR) and the Bima City Government Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).
“The follow-up discussion was that MLI ordered several officials at the PUPR Service and BPBD of the Bima City Government to prepare various projects that had a large budget value and the preparation process was carried out at the official residence of the Mayor of Bima,” said Firli.
It was stated that the value of projects in the Bima City Government’s PUPR and BPBD Services in the 2019-2020 period reached tens of billions. In the process, Lutfi is said to have unilaterally determined the winner of the project. Even though the auction process is carried out, it is only a formality.
“And in fact the auction winners did not meet the qualifying requirements as stipulated in the provisions,” added Filri.
As a result of this conditioning, Bima is said to have received up to Rp. 8.6 billion from two projects, widening the Nungga Toloweri road and providing electricity and PJU for the Oi’Foo housing complex.
“The technique for depositing money was through bank account transfers in the names of MLI’s trusted people, including family members. It was also found that MLI received gratuities, including in the form of money from other parties, and the Investigating Team will of course continue to carry out further investigation,” said Firli.
In order to further the investigation process, Lutfi was detained by investigators for the first 20 days, starting from October 5 to October 25 2023 at the KPK Land House, Newsdelivers.com.
He was charged under Article 12 letter (i) and/or Article 12B of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 2001. 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes.
