Selling COVID-19 Vaccine, North Sumatra Health Office Doctor Sued 3 Years In Prison

Virtual trial of the case of selling the COVID-19 vaccine at the Medan District Court/IST

MEDAN - A doctor with the status of an ASN at the North Sumatra Health Service, Dr. Kristinus Saragih, was sentenced to 3 years in prison. The prosecutor assessed that Dr. Kristinus was guilty of selling the COVID-19 vaccine, which should have been free.

Doctor Kristinus was judged by the prosecutor to have committed a criminal act of corruption as threatened with criminality in Article 5 paragraph 2 of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

"Therefore, we request that the panel of judges sentence the defendant to 3 years in prison and sentence the defendant to pay a fine of Rp. 100 million, subsidiary to 3 months in prison," said prosecutor Hendri Edison in a virtual hearing, Wednesday, December 8.

In response to this demand, the defendant through his legal representative stated that he would file a defense or plea. The panel of judges chaired by Saut Maruli Tua Pasaribu postponed the trial until December 15, 2021.

In the indictment explained, the case of buying and selling Sinovac vaccines began when the defendant, Dr. Kristinus Saragih, was contacted by Selviwaty who asked the defendant about the request for the vaccine.

Initially, the defendant refused on the grounds that he had never done this before. However, a few days later, Selvi contacted the defendant again with the same request.

"At the request of Selvi, the defendant is willing to ask for a fee of Rp. 250 thousand per person for 1 injection of the vaccine. Then at the request of the defendant, Selvi is willing and agrees with the price," explained the prosecutor.

The indictment also states that the defendant, who is also a vaccinator, obtained the Sinovac brand of COVID-19 vaccine by vaccinating every time he vaccinated in government agencies, private institutions, organizations, religious leaders, community leaders, teachers and the elderly in Medan City. used.

"By the defendant it was stored and not returned to the North Sumatra Provincial Health Office. The remaining vaccine was by the defendant at the request of Selvi with a payment of Rp. 250 thousand for one injection of vaccine per person, so for two vaccines, Rp. 500 thousand will be paid," explained prosecutor.

From the sale of the vaccine, Dr. Kristinus Sagala earned Rp. 90 million. Meanwhile, Selviwaty received Rp. 11 million.

In this case, the panel of judges has sentenced Selviwaty to 20 months in prison. Meanwhile, one other doctor, Dr. Indra, who is a doctor at the Tanjung Gusta Detention Center, is still on the agenda for examining witnesses.