JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court has sentenced, for 9 years in prison, graft defendant Heru Sulaksono, General Manager of state-owned construction firm PT Nindya Karya for North Sumatra and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam chapter.
The jail term is lighter than the prosecutor’s demand.
Panel of judges led by presiding judge Casmaya concluded that Heru is proven guilty in committing graft and money laundering altogether with other suspects in the case related to the construction project of Sabang Dock during the period of 2006-2011.
Panel of judges also ordered Heru to pay Rp500 million in fine or serve additional four months imprisonment.
The prosecutor team from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), meanwhile, previously demanded 10 years in prison for the defendant. The prosecutor also demand the defendant to pay Rp600 million in fine or serve additional six months imprisonment. Furthermore, KPK’s prosecutor also demanded the defendant to pay Rp12.6 billion in substitution to the State loses.
Other than Heru, another suspect in the case Ramadhany Ismi was also sentenced to 6 years in jail. Ramadhany is former Deputy Head of the Work Committee of Free Trade Sabang Seaport Area Development (BPKS).
The case has also implicated two politicians from the National Mandate Party (PAN), Teuku Syaiful Achmad and Azwar Abubakar.
Teuku Syaiful Achmad, former PAN lawmaker at the DPR and former Head of BPKS Sabang for the period of 2006-2010, is one among several suspects in the case.
While Azwar Abubakar, PAN politician and former Minister of Bureaucracy Reform under SBY’s administration, had been repeatedly examined as a witness in the case. (haryantosuharman@yosefardi.com)