TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former president director of state electricity company PLN Sofyan Basir will undergo the preliminary hearing of the alleged Riau 1 steam power plant (PLTU) project bribery case today, June 24 at Jakarta Corruption Court.

“The first trial for Sofyan will be held on Monday, June 24,” said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Febri Diansyah on Thursday, June 20.

During the trial, the KPK prosecutor will read the indictment and reiterate violations allegedly committed by Sofyan in the graft case.

The role of Sofyan in the case had previously been revealed during the trials of three defendants, namely the former deputy of DPR's Energy Commission Eni Saragih, the former Golkar Party sec-gen Idrus Marham, and the shareowner at coal company Blackgold Natural Resources Ltd. Johanes B. Kotjo.

Read also: KPK to Question Sofyan Basir

Sofyan was found to have attended nine meetings with Eni, Kotjo, and Idrus for talks about the project. The anti-graft body suspected Sofyan of receiving promises or gifts from Kotjo in the same amount of what Eni had received. However, Sofyan Basir denied the allegation while standing in the court as a witness and after he was named a suspect.

The PLTU Riau-1 graft case initially emerged from a sting operation run by KPK toward Eni and Kotjo on July 13, 2018. Eni then had been found guilty of accepting Rp4.75 billion in bribe money from Kotjo for helping him got the project. The PLTU project was planned to be worked by a consortium, including Blackgold Natural Resources Ltd, PT PJB, PT PLN Batu Bara, and China Huadian Engineering Co Ltd.

M ROSSENO AJI