Suspect in Baturraden cattle breeding centre milk sales corruption detained

The Purwokerto District Attorney’s Office has detained a suspect, identified by the initials SHH, in connection with alleged corruption in the sale of milk production at the Baturraden Centre for Superior Livestock Breeding and Forage (BBPTUHPT) from 2018 to 2024. The detention followed the transfer of the suspect and evidence, known as Phase II, on Thursday. Head of the Purwokerto District Attorney’s Office, Slamet Jaka Mulyana, stated that the suspect, who served as the head of BBPTUHPT Baturraden during the period in question, has been placed in the Banyumas State Detention Centre for 20 days to facilitate prosecution. Prior to the Phase II transfer, the suspect underwent a medical examination at the Purwokerto Timur II Community Health Centre and was declared fit. The transfer was carried out after the case file was declared complete, or P-21, by the public prosecutor. The public prosecutor will now prepare the indictment and transfer the case to the Corruption Court at the Semarang District Court. The alleged modus operandi involved selling milk through the Iko Karnaba Cooperative before marketing it to the public and agents at a price higher than the official rate. The price, which should have been Rp4,500 per litre, was sold for up to Rp7,500 per litre, and the difference from the sales was allegedly not deposited into the state treasury. Investigators also found that milk prices were allegedly set without conducting a proper survey and that rejected milk, which should not have been marketed, was sold. Of the Rp903.49 million in proceeds from the sale of rejected milk, approximately Rp569 million was allegedly not deposited into the state treasury. The excess proceeds from the milk sales were allegedly used for personal gain, official operational expenses, and additional payments to the cooperative managed by the suspect. During the investigation, the Special Crimes Unit of the Purwokerto District Attorney’s Office examined 38 witnesses and two experts, and seized a number of pieces of evidence. SHH is charged under Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001, in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustments. The suspect is also alternatively charged under Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Slamet emphasised that the Purwokerto District Attorney’s Office is committed to handling every corruption case professionally, objectively, transparently, and accountably as part of efforts to maintain the integrity of state financial management and provide legal certainty to the public.