State Losses of IDR 285 Trillion, Riza Chalid's Son Sentenced to 15 Years
JAKARTA - The Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) panel of judges sentenced Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza to 15 years in prison. The defendant was found guilty in the mega corruption case of crude oil management which caused losses to the state treasury of hundreds of trillion rupiah.
The verdict was read in a trial that lasted until Friday, February 27 in the early morning. The chairman of the panel of judges, Fajar Kusuma Aji, stated that Kerry Riza was proven to be legally and convincingly involved in corruption as stated in the primary indictment.
"To impose a sentence of 15 years in prison on the defendant Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza," said the judge when reading the verdict.
In addition to the body's punishment, the panel of judges imposed a fine of Rp. 1 billion on the defendant. The fine must be paid no later than one month after the final and binding decision (inkrah).
If the fine is not paid, the convicted person's property will be seized and auctioned by the prosecutor. If the auction proceeds are insufficient, the fine is replaced with imprisonment for 190 days.
Not only that, the judge also set an additional penalty in the form of compensation of Rp. 2.9 trillion. If the property is insufficient to pay the compensation, it will be replaced with a five-year prison sentence.
In his consideration, the judge stated that the actions of the son of businessman Riza Chalid violated Article 2 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Law as well as Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.
The case that ensnared Kerry Riza has become a public spotlight because of the scale of his country's losses, which reached IDR 285 trillion. This figure is closely related to the policy of importing refinery products or fuel oil (BBM) as well as illegal practices in the sale of non-subsidized solar.
Apart from Kerry, the panel of judges also sentenced two other defendants in a separate case. Commissioner of PT Pelayaran Mahameru Kencana Abadi, Gading Ramadhan Juedo, and Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritime Nusantara, Dimas Werhaspati, were each sentenced to 13 years in prison.
The defendant's lawyer, Hamdan Zoelva, expressed deep disappointment with the verdict. He assessed that the panel of judges ignored the facts that emerged during the trial process.
"I am very disappointed with the decision of the panel of judges, because many of the judges' considerations are not in accordance with the facts in the trial and regarding the facts presented, there was never a trial," said Hamdan.
On the other hand, the DKI Jakarta High Prosecutor's Office welcomed the consistency of the judges in proving the primary indictment. Coordinator at the DKI Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, Zulkipli emphasized that all defendants in this cluster case were found guilty.
"The nine defendants were proven by the judge in his decision, so the defendants were proven or proven in the public prosecutor's indictment in the primary indictment, namely guilty of committing corruption together." said Zulkipli.
Although the 15-year sentence is lighter than the prosecutor's request for 18 years in prison, this verdict remains a strong signal in law enforcement in the national energy sector.