Thomas Lembong sends a handwritten letter from prison - Politics

Former trade minister and suspect in an alleged sugar import corruption case, Thomas Lembong, sent a handwritten letter to the public from prison on Saturday, saying his legal team was handling his case.

In the letter, Tom expressed his gratitude to those who supported him and pledged to cooperate fully with authorities as the investigation progresses. He also reaffirmed his commitment to Indonesia.

“I will continue to love Indonesia and serve the country. I strive to be cooperative, positive and conducive in helping reveal the truth and uphold justice,” said Tom, as quoted by tribunnews.com on Monday.

The statement, written in Indonesian and English, concluded with a prayer for guidance and justice. The alleged corruption case centers on Thomas’s signing of a sugar import policy at a time when domestic supplies of the commodity were reportedly sufficient, potentially violating the corruption law.

As Thomas is currently being held at the Salemba Detention Centre, the Public Prosecution Service (AGO) interviewed two witnesses on Monday.

“Then the witness with the initials SA, who was director general at the Ministry of Commerce in 2016,” AGO spokesperson Harli Siregar said on Monday, as quoted by Compass.

Also read: The arrest of former minister Thomas Lembong raises political questions

Another witness, identified as SH, served in 2015 as a sub-directorate for industrial products in the ministry’s Basic Materials and Strategic Goods Directorate.

Harli confirmed that the investigation was conducted by the Investigative Directorate of the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus).

“This investigation is aimed at strengthening the evidence and completing the files in the investigation involving suspect TTL (Thomas) and others,” Harli said.

Thomas is currently challenging his detention in a preliminary investigation, with the first hearing scheduled for November 18, 2024.

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