Attorney General's Office explains "mark-up" method in Amsal Sitepu case
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Attorney General’s Office has revealed the modus operandi of mark-ups or budget inflation in the alleged corruption case involving the production of village profile videos, which has ensnared a videographer named Amsal Sitepu.
Head of the Public Relations Centre for Law at the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, in Jakarta on Monday, explained that this case pertains to activities in the management and creation of local village communication and informatics installation networks in Karo Regency, North Sumatra, for the 2020–2023 fiscal years.
Based on reports from the investigation team, he said, the total losses resulting from this criminal act amount to Rp1.8 billion from various procurement teams.
Several cases are already final or in the appeal process. For Amsal Sitepu, the case is currently at the trial stage.
“The one that’s going viral is the one currently on trial, Amsal Christy Sitepu. Yesterday’s agenda was the prosecution’s demand, and now it’s the verdict agenda. The total state loss is around Rp202 million,” he stated.
He said the alleged corruption involves inflating the budget in the cost budget plan (RAB).
“For example, for the activity of renting a drone for 30 days, the actual implementation from the investigation was only 12 days, but it was paid in full. It’s like that,” he added.
“Costs for editing and all sorts of things were already budgeted, then doubled again, that’s what was found. So, one of several modi operandi like that in the spending budget plan (RAB),” he said.
According to him, such practices occur because village officials lack technical understanding, so the RAB is prepared by the counterparties.
“This is village fund issue. Village heads aren’t really knowledgeable. Based on the investigators, the RAB was made by the counterparties themselves,” he said.
Previously, Amsal Sitepu was demanded two years’ imprisonment by the prosecutor in the alleged corruption case for a project in a village in Karo Regency, North Sumatra.
The prosecutor also imposed a fine of Rp50 million, with the provision that if not paid, it would be replaced with three months’ imprisonment.
Amsal also responded to the case ensnaring him on his Instagram account. From his case, he said that the current legal conditions are not good.
On this Monday, the House of Representatives’ Commission III called on the panel of judges to consider imposing a free or light verdict on Amsal Sitepu.