Noel Admits Error and Receives 4.5 Years in Prison for Corruption Verdict
JAKARTA - Former Deputy Minister of Manpower (Wamenaker) Immanuel "Noel" Ebenezer Gerungan received a decision by the panel of judges who sentenced him to 4 years and 6 months in prison. The verdict is related to the alleged extortion of the management of safety and health certificates (K3) and gratification.
The verdict was read at a trial at the Corruption Crime Court (Tipikor) at the Central Jakarta District Court, Thursday, June 4.
"I have consistently admitted my mistakes from the beginning. I consider the sentence given by the panel to be appropriate for the crime I committed, so I accept it," said Noel when responding to the judge's verdict.
In addition to imprisonment, the panel of judges also imposed a fine of IDR 200 million. If the fine is not paid, it will be replaced with a 90-day imprisonment.
Not only that, Noel was also required to pay compensation of IDR 3.43 billion. If not paid, the sentence will be replaced with a one-year prison sentence.
After the trial, Noel stated that he accepted all the legal consequences of his actions. According to him, as a former state official, he should not avoid responsibility for the mistakes he had made.
"It can't be. Don't also become officials and then avoid or avoid that responsibility. So, yes, this is my form of responsibility," he said.
Noel also appreciated the legal process, starting from the work of the public prosecutor to the legal considerations presented by the panel of judges in the verdict of the case.
He also expressed his gratitude to his legal advisors who had provided the maximum defense during the trial process. "There are no other words besides words of thanks and regret for the events that have happened to me," said Noel.
Although the defendant stated that he accepted the verdict, the public prosecutor (JPU) has not determined his position and still thinks about the verdict given by the panel of judges. In response to this, Noel assessed that there was still another legal consideration that was being reviewed by the prosecutor.
He hopes that all legal processes can immediately have a permanent legal force so that he can serve his sentence and continue various activities that have been a concern, especially related to labor issues and labor struggles.
"This struggle is not over because I went to prison or was detained. This struggle is still long," he said.
In this case, the panel of judges stated that Noel was proven to have received gratification related to the management of safety and health certificates (K3) in the Ministry of Manpower during the 2024-2025 period. The gratification received amounted to IDR 3.43 billion. In addition to money, Noel was also proven to have received one unit of a Ducati Scrambler motorcycle.
The panel of judges considered that the act fulfilled the elements of the crime of corruption as stipulated in Article 12 letter b and Article 12B in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption which has been amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.
With the verdict, Noel became one of the former cabinet officials sentenced in corruption cases related to public services and licensing in the ministry environment.