Exposing Big Names in MBG Case, Sony Sonjaya Requests Family Protection

Former Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sony Sonjaya, has requested that the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) provide security and safety guarantees for his family. This was conveyed by Sony’s lawyer, Krisna Murti, after his client’s application for justice collaborator (JC) status was rejected by the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung). Krisna stated that his side is now hoping LPSK will approve the protection request previously submitted by Sony. He considers this crucial because Sony will reveal major figures suspected of involvement in the corruption case concerning the management of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. “Considering the absence of security and safety guarantees for Sony Sonjaya and his family when testifying to reveal names suspected of involvement in this MBG corruption scandal,” he told reporters on Wednesday (24/6). Therefore, he hopes LPSK can grant JC status to Sony despite the rejection by the Attorney General’s Office. Krisna hopes the decision on providing protection can be made as objectively as possible without intervention from any party. “We hope LPSK makes a decision as objectively as possible without intervention, considering all the names to be revealed by Sony are important people,” he said. Previously, the Director of Investigations for the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, explained there were two main considerations behind the investigators’ rejection of the application. Firstly, he said, his side assessed that Sony was one of the main perpetrators in the case of buying and selling SPPG points. Therefore, Sony is not a secondary perpetrator who could reveal other, larger parties in the MBG corruption case. Secondly, Syarief stated that in the latest examination, Sony still denied his actions in the MBG corruption case. He explained that one of the main requirements for the acceptance of a JC is that the perpetrator must admit to their actions. “In yesterday’s examination, the investigators considered that there was no statement yet indicating that the person concerned admitted to the actions as alleged,” he said.