Corruption Judge Sentenced Bribery Former South Buru Regent 18 Months In Prison

Liem Sing Tiong, a defendant who bribed former South Buru Regent Tagop Sudarsono Soulissa, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a panel of judges at the Corruption Court at the Ambo District Court, Maluku, Tuesday (29/8/2023). ANTARA/Daniel

AMBON - The panel of judges at the Corruption Court at the Ambon District Court, Maluku, sentenced Liem Sin Tiong to 18 months in prison, the accused of bribing former South Buru Regent Tagop Soulissa.

"To declare the defendant guilty of violating Article 5 paragraph (1) letter (a) of Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code jo. Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code," said Chief Judge Haris Tewa who was accompanied by two members of the Corruption Court at the Ambon District Court as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 29.

The panel of judges also sentenced the defendant to a fine of Rp. 50 million, subsidiary to 2 months in prison.

According to the panel of judges, the aggravating thing was that the defendant, because he did not support the government's program in eradicating corruption, collusion, and nepotism. As for the mitigating one, the defendant was polite and admitted his actions and had never been convicted.

The defendant Liem Sin Tiong is a new suspect in the alleged bribery case against the Regent of South Buru 2011 2021 Tagop Sudarsono Soulisa to get a road construction project in the city in Namrole, the capital city of Bursel Regency in the 2015 fiscal year.

Based on the consideration of the panel of judges, the defendant was guilty of being together and continuing with Ivana Kwelju to bribe former Bursel Regent Tagop Soulisa as an official or state administrator in the amount of Rp. 400 million to do or not do something.

The money was transferred in stages through Jony Reinhard Kasman to win the Namrole City road project.

The verdict of the panel of judges was lighter than the demands of the Corruption Eradication Commission prosecutor team coordinated by Taufiq Ibnugroho who demanded the defendant for 2 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 85 million, subsidiary to 4 months in prison.

On this decision, the defendant through his legal advisor Marcel Hehanusa stated that he accepted, while the KPK prosecutor team expressed their thoughts.