TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thomas Trikasih Lembong, also known as Tom Lembong, has objected to the public prosecutor's (JPU) response to his exception plea. He pointed out inconsistencies in the timeline between the indictment and the investigation order (sprindik) in the alleged sugar import corruption case against him.
"The indictment's timeline does not match the investigation order," Tom stated during the hearing on his objection plea at the Corruption Court in the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
Tom questioned why he was the only former trade minister indicted in the alleged sugar import corruption case.
"Why am I the only one on trial? I also feel that the prosecutor's response has not established any clear link between the alleged legal violations and the corruption charges," he said.
Tom’s legal counsel, Ari Yusuf Amir, also raised concerns over the timeline following the prosecutor’s rebuttal to his client’s plea. Ari noted that the prosecution's corruption allegations only cover the period when Tom Lembong served as Trade Minister from 2015 to 2016.
"This is highly concerning because the investigation was supposed to cover 2015-2023. Why is the timeframe limited to Tom Lembong’s tenure? That is our objection, Your Honor," Ari stated before the panel of judges.
In the sugar import corruption case, Tom Lembong is accused of causing state losses amounting to Rp578.1 billion.
This figure is based on an audit report by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) regarding suspected corruption in sugar import activities at the Ministry of Trade from 2015 to 2016. The report, numbered PE.03/R/S-51/D5/01/2025, was issued on January 20, 2025.
The indictment also alleges that Tom enriched several individuals and companies through sugar import deals, including:
- Tony Wijaya Ng (PT Angels Products) – Rp144.1 billion
- Then Surianto Eka Prasetyo (PT Makassar Tene) – Rp31.19 billion
- Hansen Setiawan (PT Sentra Usahatama Jaya) – Rp36.87 billion
- Indra Suryaningrat (PT Medan Sugar Industry) – Rp64.55 billion
- Eka Sapanca (PT Permata Dunia Sukses Utama) – Rp26.16 billion
- Wisnu Hendraningrat (PT Andalan Furnindo) – Rp42.87 billion
- Hendrogiarto A. Tiwow (PT Duta Sugar International) – Rp41.22 billion
- Hans Falita Hutama (PT Berkah Manis Makmur) – Rp74.58 billion
- Ali Sandjaja Boedidarmo (PT Kebun Tebu Mas) – Rp47.86 billion
- Ramakrishna Prasad Venkatesha Murthy (PT Dharmapala Usaha Sukses) – Rp5.97 billion
The prosecution alleges that during his tenure as Trade Minister from 2015 to 2016, Tom issued 21 raw sugar import approvals to 10 companies for stock formation and price stabilization without obtaining recommendations from the Ministry of Industry.
Tom Lembong has been charged under Article 2(1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on Corruption Eradication, as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 (Anti-Corruption Law), and Article 55(1) of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP).
Amelia Rahima Sari contributed to the writing of this article.
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