Isak Sobs Former National Team Player Entangled In North Sumatra's Gapura UIN Corruption Requests Sentence

The defendant Irfan Raditya read out the plea in the Cakra VIII courtroom, the Corruption Court at the Medan District Court, Wednesday (12/3/2025). (ANTARA/Aris Rinaldi Nasution)

NORTH SUMATRA - Former U-20 national team player Irfan Raditya (36), who was charged with corruption over the construction of the North Sumatra State Islamic University (UIN North Sumatra) gate, cried while reading the plea or memorandum of defense by asking for punishment. .

"I ask for mercy from the noble panel of judges to lighten my sentence," said Irfan at the Corruption Court at the Medan District Court (PN), Wednesday, March 13, which was confiscated by Antara.

The defendant Irfan, who is a former U-20 AFF Cup national team player in Palembang City, South Sumatra on August 5-19, 2005, admitted that he was very sorry.

Irfan Raditya also apologized to all relevant parties as a result of his actions causing state finances to suffer a loss of Rp365 million.

"I apologize and deeply regret all of this incident. Because my signature was ordered by my superiors to have caused state financial losses in this development," he said.

The former PSDS player Deli Serdang, North Sumatra also admitted that he had never benefited from the project.

"I have never received the slightest profit from the project. By Allah, I swear, all the signatures I did on the orders of my superiors without knowing the consequences," explained Irfan.

He also said that he really loves this country and was proven by the way he became a professional football player.

"I apologize to the panel of judges. I love this country too much. Since the age of 18, I have fought for this country. I shed tears, sweat and blood for this country," he said.

In addition, the defendant Irfan also sacrificed his body and soul to make Indonesia proud in the international arena.

He also said that he had suffered a broken bone when playing football to defend Indonesia.

Meanwhile, due to his imprisonment, the defendant Irfan also admitted that he had not seen his wife and three children in Jakarta for a long time.

"I left my wife, and three children are still far away in Jakarta. Without a living, without anyone guarding, and until now I have never met them because of the distance and costs," said Irfan, sobbing.

According to him, while the people who receive profits from this development project can sleep well, smile every day, and chat with their children and wives.

"Is this fair to me?. I only ask for justice, I only ask for help, and I only ask for the mercy of the panel of judges," he explained.

He also added that he was only a person who was brought back by a handful of people to undergo the legal process.

"I am only a victim, I am only sacrificed by people who may now sit with a cup of coffee. The responsibility for paying state losses has been paid, while receiving corporal punishment is me," said the defendant Irfan.

After listening to the pledoi of the defendant Irfan, Chief Judge Sarma Siregar postponed the trial and continued next week.

"The trial was postponed and continued on Wednesday (19 March), with the replication agenda of the public prosecutor for the defendant's pledoi," said Judge Sarma.

The Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Deli Serdang District Attorney's Branch (Cabjari) at Pancur Batu, North Sumatra, previously charged the defendant Irfan Raditya with 1.5 years in prison.

"The defendant was charged with one year and six months in prison and a fine of Rp. 100 million on the condition that if the fine was not paid, it would be replaced or a subsidiary of four months in prison," said Head of the Deli Serdang Cabjari at the Batu Pancur Yus Iman Mawardin Harefa.

His party considered that the defendant Irfan's actions were proven to have committed corruption in the construction of the North Sumatra UIN gate for the 2020 fiscal year which cost the state finances Rp365 million.

"The defendant is believed to have violated Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 which has been amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code," he said.