Mahfud MD Respects Surya Darmadi's 15 Year Sentence, Calls It Worthy

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD expressed respect for the decision of the Panel of Judges at the Corruption Crime Court at the Central Jakarta District Court which sentenced Surya Darmadi to 15 years in prison.

"I really respect the judge's decision this time. I've said before that a judge's decision is binding, it can't be avoided, but not all judge's decisions need to be respected. For example, in cases where judges accepted bribes, they were arrested and jailed," said Mahfud when giving a press statement, as monitored via the Kemenkopolhukam YouTube channel in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, March 1.

The sentence is commensurate with the actions of the owner of the Darmex Group, who used hundreds or even thousands of hectares of land in a forestry area without a permit, so apart from being sentenced to 15 years in prison, he was also sentenced to pay a fine of IDR 1 billion and compensation of more than IDR 41 trillion.

Mahfud also considered that the penalty for paying compensation for losses to the country's economy was an interesting matter

"What's interesting is that the judge agrees with the Attorney General's Office through the public prosecutor who stated that Surya Darmadi not only committed acts of corruption that harmed state finances but also harmed the country's economy. Something that is rarely accepted in court," he explained.

Previously on Thursday, February 23, the Tipikor Court Panel of Judges handed down a verdict against Surya Darmadi in a corruption case in the oil palm plantation business without a permit in Riau Province for the 2004-2022 period.

"Send a sentence on the defendant with imprisonment for 15 years plus a fine of Rp. 1 billion, a subsidiary of 6 months in prison," said Chief Judge Fahzal Hendri at the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor).

The panel of judges also demanded that Surya pay compensation in the amount of money he got from the crime, namely Rp. 2,238,274,248,234 and pay a loss to the country's economy of Rp. 39,751,177,520,000.

On the same occasion, Mahfud also appreciated the decisions given by courts in the DKI Jakarta area recently. Among them, are the Central Jakarta District Court (PN) regarding Surya Darmadi's verdict and the Central Jakarta District Court regarding the verdict of the former Head of Propam Polri Ferdy Sambo.

"This time, we have the utmost respect for the Central Jakarta District Court. That is, the courts in the DKI area are like that. In this short time, the courts in the DKI region, namely South Jakarta, have succeeded in deciding the Sambo case which is felt by most people, of course, it satisfies their feelings of justice and now also deciding the Apeng (Surya Darmadi) case," he said.