From The Judge's Seat To The Defendant's Chair: Former South Jakarta District Court Chair Sued 15 Years In Prison For CPO Bribery Case

JAKARTA - The chairman of the South Jakarta District Court (PN) for the 2024-2025 period, Muhammad Arif Nuryanta, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in a case of alleged bribery related to the decision to release the corruption case of the export facility of crude palm oil (CPO) in 2023-2025.

In a hearing to read the charges at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) of the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, October 29, the public prosecutor (JPU) of the Attorney General's Office, Syamsul Bahri Siregar, stated that Arif was proven to have accepted bribes together with other parties.

"This is punishable by crime in Article 6 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code," said the prosecutor in the trial quoted from Antara.

In addition to corporal punishment, the prosecutor also demanded that Arif be fined Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to 6 months in prison, as well as payment of replacement money of Rp. 15.7 billion, taking into account the assets that had been confiscated.

If the replacement money is not paid within one month after the decision has permanent legal force, the defendant's property will be confiscated and auctioned off to cover the obligation. If the property is insufficient, Arif will serve an additional 6 years in prison.

The prosecutor said Arif had injured public trust in the judiciary.

"The defendant's actions did not support the state administration program that was free from corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), and enjoyed the proceeds of crime," said the prosecutor.

As for mitigating factors, Arif is said to have never been convicted.

In this case, Arif was charged with accepting bribes of Rp. 15.7 billion while still serving as Deputy Chair of the Central Jakarta District Court. The bribe was allegedly given by a number of advocates representing the interests of three large corporations in the CPO case, namely Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group.

Uang diberikan dalam dua tahap, total 2,5 juta dolar AS atau sekitar Rp40 miliar.

The money is given in two stages, a total of 2.5 million US dollars or around Rp. 40 billion.

Dari jumlah itu, Arif diduga menerima sekitar Rp15,7 miliar. Sementara sisanya dibagikan kepada Panitera Muda Perdata Wahyu Gunawan, serta tiga hakim, Djuyamto, Ali Muhtarom, dan Agam Syarief Baharudin.