Former Sidoarjo Regent Freed From Porong Prison

Former Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah freed from Surabaya Class I Prison in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java/DOK ANTARA

SIDOARJO - Former Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah was released from the Class I Surabaya Prison in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java, after serving a two-year prison sentence for corruption.

The head of the Surabaya Class 1 Prison, Gun Gun Gunawan in Sidoarjo, Friday, said that Saiful Ilah and two of his colleagues, namely Sanajihitu Sangaji and Yudhi Tetrahastoto, had been released as of January 7, 2022.

"Yes, it is true that today on behalf of Haji Saiful and two of his colleagues, their sentences have ended, after serving two years and paying a fine, so today they have been released," said Gun Gun at Porong Prison, quoted by Antara, Friday, January 7.

He said the former Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah was declared acquitted after serving a two-year sentence for corruption in several physical project works that had ensnared him in the Corruption Eradication Commission (OTT) Operation Capture Hand (OTT).

"Indeed, the criminal period (Saiful Ilah) has ended. And today he is truly free," said the head of the Class 1 Surabaya prison, Gun Gun Gunawan.

He said Saiful Ilah occupied Block H in Lapas Class 1 Surabaya, along with Sangaji and Yudhi.

Saiful Ilah was sentenced to three years in prison after being proven guilty and convincingly accepting bribes related to a number of infrastructure projects at the Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Sidoarjo Regency so that he was subject to Article 11 of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 of the Criminal Code.

In this case, the KPK has named six suspects in the project bribery case at the Public Works Department, Bina Marga and Water Resources (BM SDA) Sidoarjo. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) also secured evidence of Rp. 1.8 billion of stolen money.

Not accepting the decision, Saiful Ilah's attorney declared an appeal to the Surabaya High Court (PT). Then the PT Surabaya panel of judges finally reduced the prison sentence from 3 years to 2 years in prison.

After the verdict, Saiful was detained at the East Java Regional Police and on October 4, 2021, Saiful was transferred to the Porong Prison until he was released.