Proven To Accept Bribery For CPO Release Decision, Former Head Of South Jakarta District Court Sentenced To 12.5 Years In Prison

JAKARTA - The head of the South Jakarta District Court (PN) for the period 2024-2025 Muhammad Arif Nuryanta was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 6 months in connection with the alleged bribery case against a corruption case in the provision of crude palm oil (CPO) export facilities in 2023-2025.

Chief Judge Effendi stated that Arif had been legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption by accepting bribes jointly, with the amount of bribes that Arif received worth Rp. 14.73 billion.

"This action is in accordance with Article 6 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 18 of Law (UU) 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) 1st of the Criminal Code," said the presiding judge in the trial reading the verdict of the panel of judges at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, December 3.

In addition to imprisonment, Arif was sentenced to a fine of Rp. 500 million, provided that if the fine was not paid, it would be replaced (subsidiary) with imprisonment for 6 months.

The Panel of Judges also sentenced Arif to an additional penalty in the form of payment of replacement money amounting to Rp14.73 billion.

The sentence was followed by the condition that if the defendant could not pay the replacement money no later than 1 month after the decision had permanent legal force, then the defendant's property could be confiscated by the prosecutor and auctioned off to pay the replacement money.

"In the event that the defendant does not have sufficient property to pay the replacement money, he will be replaced with a prison sentence of 5 years," said the presiding judge.

The verdict handed down by the Panel of Judges was slightly lighter than the prosecutor's demands. Previously, Arif was sentenced to 15 years in prison, a fine of Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to 6 months in prison, and to pay compensation of Rp. 15.7 billion, subsidiary to 6 years in prison.

In this case, Arif was charged with accepting bribes while serving as Deputy Chair of the Central Jakarta District Court.

Bribes allegedly received from Ariyanto, Marcella Santoso, Junaedi Saabih, and Syafei as advocates or parties representing the interests of corporate defendants in the CPO case, namely Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group.

The money was received together with the North Jakarta Civil Youth Registrar Wahyu Gunawan, along with three inactive judges who tried the case, namely Djuyamto, Ali Muhtarom, and Agam Syarief Baharudin.