The camp of former Minister of Trade (Mendag) Thomas ‘Tom’ Trikasih Lembong, believes that the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) is selective in investigating alleged corruption cases related to sugar imports at the Ministry of Trade for the 2015-2016 period. The Attorney General’s Office was also urged to investigate other former Trade Ministers.
“That’s right (selective logging). Because in the official letter the investigation stated, 2015 to 2023. Pak Tom only until 2016. That means the next Minister should be investigated,” said Tom Lembong’s lawyer, Ari Yusuf Amir, at the South Jakarta District Court, Tuesday (5/ 11).
Ari asked the Attorney General to investigate further whether or not there were allegations of corruption before and after Tom Lembong became Minister of Trade. Meanwhile, Tom is said to have been named a suspect before it was discovered that other former Trade Ministers were being questioned by investigators.
“Is there any error or not? Is there a wrong mechanism or not? Is there corruption there? After that, we will only determine him as a suspect. We haven’t checked everything yet, we have already determined him as a suspect,” said Ari.
He understands that AGO investigators have the subjective right to determine and detain suspects. However, it must be proven to be reasonable.
“But the Criminal Procedure Code explains that these subjective rights must be reasonable, they must be reasonable, they must be legally proven, these subjective rights can be proven,” said Ari.
Tom Lembong was named a suspect in an alleged corruption case related to sugar imports at the Ministry of Trade for the 2015-2016 period. Regarding this decision, Tom Lembong’s team of lawyers submitted a pretrial application to the South Jakarta District Court (PN Jaksel) which was registered on Tuesday (5/11). (J-2)
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**Interview with Ari Yusuf Amir, Lawyer for Thomas Lembong**
**Interviewer:** Good day, Mr. Amir. Thank you for joining us to discuss the recent developments regarding your client, Thomas Lembong. Can you start by sharing your perspective on the arrest and the allegations against him?
**Ari Yusuf Amir:** Thank you for having me. The arrest of Mr. Lembong has raised numerous questions, especially regarding the alleged selective investigation practices by the Attorney General’s Office. While they are focusing on the sugar import graft case from 2015-2016, we believe that there are other former Trade Ministers from subsequent years who should also be investigated.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned ‘selective logging’ in regards to the investigation. Can you elaborate on this?
**Ari Yusuf Amir:** Certainly. The term ‘selective logging’ refers to the idea that the investigation seems to focus on specific individuals while overlooking others who may have been involved in similar or even larger cases of corruption. The official investigation letter states that the timeframe covers 2015 to 2023, yet Mr. Lembong’s tenure only goes up to 2016. This raises concerns about fairness and due process.
**Interviewer:** What implications do you think this arrest has on the current political climate in Indonesia, especially under President Prabowo’s administration?
**Ari Yusuf Amir:** This arrest signals a tougher anti-corruption stance, which can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can be seen as a positive step towards accountability in governance. However, it can also be interpreted as a move to silence critics and consolidate power, especially considering Mr. Lembong’s association with former President Joko Widodo. This could lead to concerns about political motivations behind the legal actions.
**Interviewer:** How does Lembong’s camp plan to respond to these allegations moving forward?
**Ari Yusuf Amir:** We plan to challenge the legitimacy of the investigation and highlight the need for impartiality. We will assert that Mr. Lembong is innocent and that the focus on him alone is not only unjust but also strategically motivated. We will file the necessary legal documentation to ensure that all relevant parties are held accountable for their actions, not just our client.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Mr. Amir, for shedding light on this situation. We hope to see further developments that reflect fairness in the legal process.
**Ari Yusuf Amir:** Thank you for having me. It’s crucial that justice is served without bias.