Supreme Court Appreciation Rejects SYL's Cassation, KPK: Cases Have Permanent Legal Force

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) appreciates the decision of the Supreme Court (MA) against the cassation filed by former Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL).

KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika said the Supreme Court's decision to make extortion cases within the Ministry of Agriculture carried out by SYL has permanent legal force.

"With this decision, the case has been inkracht or has permanent legal force, so that the person concerned will then serve the corporal punishment and payment of replacement money as an additional penalty according to the judge's decision, unless there is extraordinary legal action (reconsideration/PK," Tessa told reporters, Sunday, March 2.

In addition to providing a deterrent effect, Tessa views the punishment for paying replacement money as also an instrument in increasing asset recovery.

Extortion in positions that occurred in the SYL case, continued Tessa, became one of the focuses of preventing corruption carried out by the KPK in the management area of the state civil apparatus (ASN).

"Furthermore, the KPK hopes that improvement steps can be taken immediately so that corruption crimes like this do not happen again," he said.

The Supreme Court rejected Syahrul Yasin Limpo or SYL's appeal regarding the extortion and gratification case at the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture. This case was registered with number 1081 K/PID.SUS/2025 and distributed on February 1.

"The verdict: refuse repair. Reject the defendant's cassation," the appeal was reported on the MA website.

The SYL cassation was examined and tried by the chairman of the assembly, Yohanes Priyana. Meanwhile, members of the assembly are Arizon Mega Jaya and Noor Edi Yono and Setia Sri Mariana as substitute clerks.

SYL filed an appeal to repair the charge of replacement money. It is known, SYL was sentenced to pay Rp44,269,777,204 plus 30 thousand US dollars minus the amount of money confiscated and then confiscated a subsidiary of 5 years in prison.

The Jakarta High Court (PT) has increased the sentence of SYL related to the case that ensnared him to 12 years in prison. The judge also imposed a fine of Rp. 500 million, which if not paid, was replaced with imprisonment for 4 months.

Not only corporal punishment, the judge also added money to replace SYL. SYL is required to pay compensation of IDR 44,269,777,204 and 30 thousand US dollars. If SYL is unable to pay for it, then he will get a body sentence of 5 years.

This sentence is heavier than the decision of the Jakarta Corruption Court to sentence former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo alias SYL to 10 years in prison. The verdict was read out on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

In addition, the defendant SYL was also charged with paying a fine of Rp. 300 million. With the provision, if the defendant does not replace it, he will be sentenced to imprisonment for 4 months.

The judge also sentenced the defendant SYL to pay compensation of Rp. 14,147,144,786 and 30 thousand US dollars. The fine is paid no later than one month after the decision has permanent legal force.

SYL was found guilty in the case that ensnared him. SYL was deemed to have violated Article 12 letter e in conjunction with Article 18 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code (KUHP) in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.