Straighten the News of Release, Ditjenpas: Rahmat Effendi is Still in Cibinong Prison

Walkot Bekasi inactive Rahmat Effendi/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjenpas) has confirmed that former Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi is still a resident at the Cibinong Correctional Institution (Lapas). Ditjenpas dismissed the issue that said Rahmat Effendi would soon be granted parole.

Head of the Sub Directorate of Cooperation for Corrections, Rika Aprianti, confirmed that the information was not true. According to him, Rahmat Effendi is still serving his sentence and has not been included in the conditional release program.

"The person concerned is still a resident of Cibinong Prison and is not in the conditional release program status," Rika said in a statement, Wednesday, January 28.

Rahmat Effendi began serving his sentence at Cibinong Prison since August 2023, after the corruption case that ensnared him had a permanent legal force or inkrah. The verdict was handed down after the Supreme Court rejected Rahmat Effendi's cassation appeal.

In this case, Rahmat Effendi was still sentenced to 12 years in prison for the corruption case that ensnared him. The sentence was the final decision after going through all stages of legal proceedings.

As is known, Rahmat Effendi was caught in the KPK's hand-in-hand operation (OTT) in January 2022 related to the case of receiving bribes and gratuities. The panel of judges of the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Bandung District Court initially sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

However, in the appeal process, the Bandung High Court increased Rahmat Effendi's sentence to 12 years in prison. The decision was then upheld by the Supreme Court at the cassation level.