SP/Novianti Setuningsih – A prosecutor with Indonesia's antigraft commission on Wednesday accused the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) of accepting bribes from Indoguna Utama, a beef import company currently embroiled in a major corruption case.

M. Rum, the prosecuting attorney with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), stated in his indictment of two Indoguna directors that Maria Elizabeth Liman, the president director of the company, agreed to funnel money to the party as long as the PKS secured Indoguna an increased import quota for 2013.

"Ahmad Fathanah [former PKS President Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq's aid], Maria Elizabeth Liman and Elda Devianne Adiningrat [a middleman] held a meeting," Rum said at the Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday. "Fathanah told Maria that she would be allowed to import [8,000 tons] more beef, and Maria made a monetary commitment to the party."

Prior to the meeting, Rum said, Luthfi asked for money to finance the party's campaign as well as an Islamic dakwah [propagation] trip. "In December 2012, Luthfi called Elda Devianne in order to contact Maria about a beef importation quota. Additionally, he demanded her to ask Maria whether or not she wanted to help fund Luthfi's trip in Sumatra," he added.

Indoguna Utama appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture three times to up their import allowance, but the company was repeatedly rejected on the grounds that it could not meet the ministry's qualifications.

As a result, Maria attempted to sidestep the ministry by asking Luthfi directly to deal with Suswono, the Minister of Agriculture and a member of the PKS.

Maria agreed to pay Rp 300 million to Luthfi via Ahmad. Later, she gave Rp 1 billion to him through company directors Arya Abdi Effendi and Juard Effendi, as well as Ahmad.

Rum asserted that the Rp 1.3 billion in cash was part of a Rp 40 billion commitment offered by Maria in order to guarantee the quota increase.