Bangka Belitung Officials Charged with Rp3 Trillion Corruption

Editor

Laila Afifa

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Prosecutors have charged three former officials from the Bangka Belitung Energy and Mineral Resources Agency with causing an estimated Rp3 trillion in financial losses to the state. These individuals are implicated in an alleged corruption scandal related to the management of tin trade at PT Timah Tbk spanning from 2015 to 2022.

The defendants include Amir Syahbana, who served as the Head of the Metal Mineral Mining Division at the Bangka Belitung ESDM Service from 2021 to 2024; Rusbani, also known as Bani, a former Acting Head of the Bangka Belitung ESDM Service; and Suranto Wibowo, who was the Head of the Bangka Belitung Islands ESDM Service from 2015 to 2019.

During the Jakarta Corruption Court proceedings on July 31, Chief Prosecutor Ardito Muwardi presented the indictment. Amir and Suranto attended the court session in person, while Rusbani participated remotely from the Bangka Belitung District Attorney’s Office.

According to Prosecutor Muwardi, the significant financial loss of Rp3 trillion was detailed in an audit report from the F Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP), released on May 28, 2024.

“Illegal mining operations in the PT Timah Tbk IUP area from 2015 to 2022 led to these substantial losses. This occurred partly because Suranto Wibowo, Rusbani, and Amir Syahbana failed to provide adequate guidance and supervision, despite being aware that the contents of the RKAB were misleading and merely formal,” stated Ardito.

The defendants face charges under Article 2(1) in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes, as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 (primary), and Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 (secondary).