NTB High Prosecutor's Office awaits appeal ruling to expand MXGP case

Mataram (ANTARA) - The Nusa Tenggara Barat High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati NTB) is waiting for the appeal ruling in the corruption case concerning land procurement for the MXGP Samota circuit before expanding the investigation into the matter. “We are waiting to see how the high court rules, because it is not yet legally binding. From that ruling, we can develop the case,” said Assistant for Special Crimes at Kejati NTB, Muh. Zulkifli Said, in Mataram on Wednesday. He said Kejati NTB could not yet determine its position regarding the panel of judges’ instruction contained in the verdict considerations against three defendants in the MXGP Samota circuit land procurement corruption case. “Wait first. We are still pursuing a legal remedy (appeal),” he said.

Head of the Prosecution Section for Special Crimes at Kejati NTB, Arifuddin Acmad, previously said his office was paying attention to the judges’ consideration regarding the role of Ali Bin Dachlan, also known as Ali BD, who was said to have profited from excess land payments amounting to Rp6.7 billion. Ali BD was identified as the party who sold 70 hectares of land to the Sumbawa Regency Government in 2022.

Spokesperson for Kejati NTB, Harun Al Rasyid, said an investigation into Ali BD’s role had actually already been carried out through the development of cases involving suspected money laundering and gratification related to the MXGP Samota circuit land procurement. “So, before the judges made that consideration, we had already begun an investigation,” said Harun. Kejati NTB conducted the money laundering and gratification investigation under a separate investigation order while the main corruption case concerning the MXGP Samota circuit land procurement was still ongoing in court.

In handling the money laundering case, Kejati NTB has been tracing the movement of money and assets belonging to Subhan, the former Head of the Sumbawa National Land Agency (BPN) who is a defendant in the MXGP Samota circuit land procurement case. As part of the money laundering and gratification investigation, Kejati NTB has carried out a number of legal actions, including searches and seizures at Subhan’s private residence, the Sumbawa BPN Office, and the Central Lombok BPN Office.

At the verdict hearing for the MXGP Samota circuit land procurement corruption case against three defendants, namely Subhan, Muhammad Jan, and Pung Saifullah Zulkarnain, on Wednesday (19/8), Ad Hoc Judge Fadhli Hanra mentioned the name Ali BD in the verdict considerations for each defendant. The panel of judges ordered public prosecutors to deepen the investigation based on legal facts revealed during the trial. Ali BD, who once served as Regent of East Lombok, was named in the verdict considerations as a party who participated in and was enriched by Subhan’s actions relating to state financial losses of Rp6.7 billion in the land purchase.

The appointment of Arifudin as Chairman of Task Force B by Subhan while serving as Head of Sumbawa BPN was also deemed procedurally flawed by the panel of judges. Another name requested for further investigation was M. Jalaludin, the commitment-making official (PPK) who controlled the land procurement contract. “Therefore, for the sake of upholding the law and the moral responsibility of the panel as revealed in the trial, the panel orders the public prosecutor to follow up without prejudice to the investigator’s authority in determining whether or not a criminal offence has occurred and the legal status of the person concerned,” said Fadhli Hanra when reading out the verdict considerations for the three defendants.