JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court has on Thursday (Nov. 26) sentenced Rusli Sibua, a graft suspect and the non-active Regent of Morotai, to four years in prison after proven guilty in bribing Akil Mochtar, graft convict and former Chief Justice of theConstitutional Court (MK).
In addition, panel of judges presided by Supriyono also orderd Rusli to pay Rp150 million in fine or serving additional two months imprisonment.
According to the judges, Rusli has been proven guilty in bribing Akil Mochtar, a former Golkar Party lawmaker, with Rp2.9 billion cash in order to help the former winning post-election dispute at the MK back in June 2011.
The verdict, however, is lighter than the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) demand of six years in prison to Rusli. Previously, the KPK also demanded panel of judges to order the defendant to pay Rp300 million in fine or serving additional four months imprisonment.
Rusli Sibua and his running mate Weni Paraisu lead Morotai regency after the MK determined the pair as the winner of the 2011 Morotai election. The pair was supported by a coalition of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) Democratic Party and Golkar. (haryantosuharman@yosefardi.com)