InfoSAWIT, BANGKA BELITUNG – Bangka Belitung Attorney had arrested Franky, the boss of PT Green Forestry Indonesia (GFI) in plantation location permit abuse. Franky was arrested in ‘wanted’ case for he did not attend when the investigators wanted to question him.

Franky was arrested when arriving in Depati Amir Port, Pangkalpinang, Monday, 25 March 2024. Head of Legal Information, Bangka Belitung Attorney, Basuki Rahardjo confirmed that Franky would be arrested for the next 20 days based on the Docments of Arrested signed by Head of Bangka Belitung Attorney Number: PRINT-290/L.9/Fd.2/03/2024, on 25 March 2024.

Basuki also explained that Franky was stated as suspect on 14 March 2024 because of a crime that started in 2011. At the time, his companies got sengon plantation location permit in Village of Tanjung Kelumpang with the total about 600 hectares from Regency of Belitung Timur.

"The location permits was got based on Decision of Regent of Belitung Timur Number 503/001/KEP/BPPT/2012 about Location Permits for PT GFI to develop sengon plantation in Village of Tanjung Kelumpang, Sub district of Simpang Pesak Regency of Belitung Timur," Basuki said as InfoSAWIT quoted from Tempo, Tuesday (26/3/2024).

But in 2013, Franky did land clearing for about 200 hectares that should be turned to be sengon plantations, but he planted palm oil. During the activity in the location, the company has no plantation business permit and did not pay Bea Perolehan Hak atas Tanah dan Bangunan (BPHTB).

Basuki thought, the activity delivered losses for the country for about Rp 25 billion that consisted of Rp 18 billion from wood selling and Rp 7 billion from the obligation that PT GFI should pay BPHTB. (T2)