Proven Bribery Of KPK Investigators, Mayor Of Tanjungbalai Inactive Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison

MEDAN - The inactive mayor of Tanjungbalai, North Sumatra, M Syahrial was sentenced to 2 years in prison. Syahrial was found guilty of bribing KPK investigator Stepanus Robin Pattuju for Rp. 1.6 billion.

In a virtual trial in the Cakra II room of the Medan District Court, the panel of judges chaired by As'ad Rahim Lubis also sentenced the defendant Syahrial to a fine of Rp. 100 million, subsidiary to 4 months in prison.

The panel of judges stated that the defendant's actions were proven guilty as the second alternative indictment of the public prosecutor, namely Article 5 Paragraph 1 letter a of Law Number 31/1999 which had been amended by Law Number 20/2001 concerning Eradication of Corruption in conjunction with Article 64 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

"The defendant is guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption as stated in the second alternative charge by the Public Prosecutor," said As'ad during the trial, Monday, September 20.

The judge said that the defendant's actions were contrary to the government's program, which is currently intensively eradicating corruption, collusion and nepotism.

"The thing that relieves the defendant is being polite, the defendant is cooperative and the defendant is the backbone of the family," said the panel of judges.

Responding to this decision, both the defendant and the Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the KPK expressed their thoughts.

Previously, the prosecutor from the KPK demanded Syahrial to be sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of Rp. 150 million, subsidiary to six months in prison.

Syahrial was charged with bribing a KPK investigator, Stepanus Robinson Pattuju, amounting to Rp. 1.6 billion.

Syahrial's introduction to Stephanus began in October 2020. At that time, Syahrial, who is a cadre from the Golkar Party, visited the official residence of the Deputy Speaker of the DPR Azis Syamsuddin. The meeting discussed the Pilkada which Syahrial would participate in in Tanjungbalai City.

Then, Azis Syamsuddin told Syahrial that he would introduce someone who could help monitor the defendant's participation in the Tanjungbalai Pilkada.

After the defendant agreed, Azis Syamsuddin then introduced Stepanus Robinson Pattuju who is a KPK investigator to the defendant.

Syahrial conveyed to Stepanus Robinson Pattuju that he would take part in the second period of the regional elections in 2021-2026. However, there is information on the report from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) regarding the work in Tanjungbalai and information on the case of buying and selling positions at the Tanjungbalai City Government which is being handled by the KPK.

Therefore, the defendant asked Stepanus Robinson Pattuju to help not increase the investigation process in the case of buying and selling positions at the Tanjung Balai City Government involving Syahrial so that the Pilkada process to be followed by him would not be problematic.

Robinson Pattuju is willing to help Syahrial. Then, Stepanus Robinson Pattuju called his colleague, Maskur Husain, who was known to be an advocate.

He conveyed the problem that the defendant had complained to Maskur. Then, Maskur agreed to help with the management of the case as long as there was a fund of Rp. 1.5 billion. The request was approved by Stepanus Robinson Pattuju to be submitted to the defendant.

Then, Syahrial agreed to the request and sent the money in stages through an account in Riefka Amalia's name. Total shipments through that account reached Rp. 1,475,000,000.

In addition to giving money by transfer made by the defendant. The defendant on December 25, 2020 continued to hand over cash to Stepanus amounting to Rp210 million.

Furthermore, in early March 2021, Syahrial handed over money worth Rp. 10 million at Kualanamu International Airport, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, so that the total amount paid by Syahrial to Stephanus was Rp. 1,695,000,000.

Recently, the KPK has also named Syahrial and the Regional Secretary Tanjungbalai Yusmada as suspects in the case of buying and selling positions.