Five suspects in Rp60 billion pineapple seedling corruption case to be tried soon

Five suspects in a corruption case involving pineapple seedlings, with a value of Rp60 billion, are set to face trial in South Sulawesi. The investigation team from the South Sulawesi High Prosecutor's Office has transferred the suspects and evidence to the Makassar District Prosecutor's Office, marking the transition to the prosecution phase.

The case centers on alleged corruption in the procurement of pineapple seedlings by the South Sulawesi Provincial Office of Food Crops, Horticulture, and Plantations for the 2024 fiscal year. Investigators suspect price inflation and fictitious procurement practices, which could have resulted in state financial losses of approximately Rp50 billion.

As part of the ongoing proceedings, prosecutors have detained the five suspects for 20 days. The investigation has involved questioning over 80 witnesses from various sectors, including government, legislature, private businesses, and farmer groups. Notably, four former deputy speakers of the South Sulawesi Regional People's Representative Council were among those questioned.

In a related development, one of the initial suspects, former acting governor Bahtiar Baharuddin, was released after a pretrial motion was granted, declaring his designation as a suspect and his detention invalid. The High Prosecutor's Office has affirmed its commitment to professionally and transparently resolving the case to combat corruption and safeguard state finances. So far, over Rp4.33 billion in funds has been recovered through seizures and returns from suspects.

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The Public Prosecutor's Team has prepared the case file transfer to the Corruption Court for trial.