Judge Orders KPK To Open Muara Enim Regent's Account Inactive Juarsah

PALEMBANG - The Panel of Judges for the Crime of Corruption at the Palembang District Court, South Sumatra, granted the request of the defendant Muara Enim Regent, Juarsah, to unblock his family's account number which was confiscated by KPK investigators.

"We have agreed to agree to grant the defendant's request. We ask the KPK to unblock the defendant's family account," said Chief Justice Sahlan Efendi during a trial reading the demands at the Palembang District Court, reported by Antara, Friday, October 8.

KPK Public Prosecutor (JPU) Ricky B Magnaz said that with the decision from the panel of judges, his party would immediately process the opening of the account of Juarsah's family.

"Moreover, the process of examining the case that the defendant is undergoing has been completed. The panel has determined to open an account, later we will follow the procedure for opening it," he said.

The blocking of the account number by the KPK investigators was intended as a step to secure the evidence in the examination. In addition to Juarsah's personal account number, which amounted to Rp.450 million in two different banks, KPK investigators also confiscated and blocked the accounts of his wife and children. Each in the name of M Husni Hidayat two account numbers, Rahmat Rafiqi, Ahmad Anugerah, and Nurliyah.

When investigators conducted their investigation, they also found money worth Rp. 58 million in a suitcase in the office at the defendant's house, suspected of being the proceeds of bribery.

However, after the investigation, the investigators did not find the alleged results of the alleged receipt of bribes in the confiscated account numbers.

Meanwhile, in this case, the KPK Prosecutor proved that Juarsah received a gratuity of IDR 3 billion in money from the convict Robby Okta Fahlevi (a contractor who won the tender for 16 PUPR projects), IDR 1 billion in money and an Apple device worth IDR 17 million from Iwan Rotari, which was handed over by the convict Elfin Muchtar (Official. Commitment Maker for Public Works and Public Relations Muara Enim).

"Our considerations based on the previous case against the convict Ahmad Yani and others and our consideration that one of the defendants is not honest. So we think it is appropriate for the convict to be prosecuted for five years in prison," he said.

In addition to these demands, he continued, the defendant was required to pay Rp4 billion as replacement money which would be handed over to the state treasury because as stated in Articles 17 and 18 concerning the Criminal Acts of Corruption, the perpetrators of corruption, even though there was no state loss found in the case, could be compensated for. .

"So the replacement money is not only from the state losses it causes, but can be from bribes and so on, that is the basis for the defendant to replace the money with a value of more than Rp. 4 billion," he added.

The defendant is subject to Article 12 letter a or Article 11 of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code and Article 12 B of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption in conjunction with Article 65 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.