TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - With regard to the case of alleged corruption in mining and exploration licenses, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has asked Director General of Customs and Excise Heru Pambudi for nickel export data, as well as the Production Operation of Mining Business Licenses from the North Konawe district government from 2007-2014.

"The KPK sent a summons to Pambudi to appoint staff to confirm the data on nickel mining product exports related to this case," KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said here on Tuesday.

Following this, Pambudi assigned one of his staff members, Bakti Tri Lestari, for the same.

Febri confirmed this saying, "A staff member from the Ministry of Finance's Directorate General of Customs and Excise is here to fulfill the KPK's call."

The KPK had named North Konawe District head Aswad Sulaiman as a suspect in the case.

Sulaiman was suspected of violating Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Crime of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the first Criminal Code.

The state saw financial losses of at least Rp2.7 trillion from the sale of nickel products that were allegedly obtained through illegal and legal licensing processes.

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In addition, Sulaiman, as the North Konawe District Head for the 2007-2009 period, allegedly received Rp13 billion in cash from a number of companies that applied for mining permits to the North Konawe District Government. This is reported to have occurred from 2007 to 2009.

Sulaiman was suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or letter b or Article 11 of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Crime of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

ANTARA