JAKARTA, March 6 — Former Indonesian trade minister Thomas Lembong appeared in court today for the first hearing of his corruption trial, to face charges related to sugar imports that allegedly caused the state a financial loss of up to 578.15 billion Indonesian rupiah (approximately RM164.96 million).
He is accused of breaching several laws concerning food, trade, and farmer protection. Prosecutors cite his role in sugar imports during the 2015-2016 period.
As the prosecutor stated in the open court session, which was broadcast on television, these imports allegedly contravened national trade policies and food security regulations.
The imports are said to have resulted in an oversupply of sugar, which caused domestic prices to fall and adversely affected local farmers.
Sugar is a regulated commodity in Indonesia, and imports should be managed with careful consideration of domestic production levels and price stability.
After hearing the charges, Thomas’s legal team filed a formal objection. Former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan was also present at the trial, saying that he attended the hearing as Thomas' friend.
— Bernama
