Jakarta. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) handed over a pile of banknotes in various currencies, gold ingots, and other precious items to South Jakarta prosecutors on Tuesday. These items will be used as evidence in a major graft scandal involving the state-owned tin miner Timah.

The delivery of this physical evidence indicates an imminent trial against the 22 suspects in the case, including top business executives and senior government officials.

"The banknotes are worth the equivalent of Rp 83 billion ($5 million) in a mix of the local currency, and US, Singapore, and Australian dollars," said Haryoko Ari Prabowo, head of the South Jakarta Prosecutors’ Office.

The items also include luxury vehicles and electronic goods, which the top prosecutor was unable to specify due to their massive quantity.

"We cannot immediately list the items one by one because there are hundreds of them. We will inform you at a later date,” he said.

Based on the jurisdiction of the prosecutors’ office, the trial is most likely to be held at the South Jakarta District Court.

The AGO also handed over two suspects to the district office, namely businessmen Tamron Tamsil and Achmad Albani.

"The prosecution team is finalizing the indictment and hopefully we can file the case with the court in the foreseeable future,” the prosecutor said.

The AGO stated last week that the 22 suspects will soon go on trial in the case, with state auditors estimating the state loss at a staggering Rp 300 trillion ($18.5 billion).

The scandal stems from alleged illegal tin mining activities within Timah's areas from 2015 to 2022, causing both financial losses and serious environmental damage, according to the AGO.

Among the high-profile suspects is businessman Harvey Moeis, who became a social media sensation after he reportedly gave his toddler son a private jet as a birthday gift. His attorney has argued that the private jet was chartered by Harvey.

"We have identified 22 suspects we believe conspired in the graft scandal, enriched themselves, and inflicted financial losses on the state. We will bring them before the court soon,” said Febrie Adriansyah, the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes.

According to the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the Rp 300 trillion loss comprises Rp 271.1 trillion in environmental damages due to illegal mining, Rp 26.5 trillion in potential revenue loss for Timah, and another Rp 2.3 trillion in financial loss related to smelting costs.

Febrie said the number of suspects may increase depending on new developments in the ongoing investigation.

The court hearings will be open to the public and media coverage, the prosecutor added.

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