Bridge Project Corruption, Former Chairman Of The Muara Enim DPRD Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison

Former Chairman of the Muara Enim DPRD, South Sumatra, Aries HB, was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of Rp. 300 million for being proven to be corrupt (ANTARA DOK PHOTO)

PALEMBANG - Former Chairman of the DPRD Muara Enim, South Sumatra, Aries HB was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of Rp. 300 million. Aries was declared proven to have received a bribe of IDR 3.1 billion in the construction of 16 packages for bridge and road construction projects in 2019 worth IDR 130 billion.

Presiding judge Erma Suharti during a trial at the Palembang Corruption Court obliged the defendant to compensate for the loss of the bribe he received of Rp 3.1 billion.

"The defendant was proven legally violating Article 12 letter A of Law No. 31/1999 on Corruption Eradication, as in the first indictment by the KPK prosecutor," Erma said reading out the verdict, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, January 19.

The defendant was deemed to have committed a criminal act of corruption together with Muara Enim district government officials who had been convicted previously.

The verdict is lower than the prosecutor's demands for the defendant to be sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of Rp. 200 million and his political right to be elected in election contestation.

However, the panel of judges did not make a decision regarding these political rights.

Based on the facts in the trial, Aries was proven to have accepted bribes from the businessman and convict Robi Okta Fahlevi of the same case to pass Robi's PT Indo Pasir Beton as the contractor to work on 16 road project packages.

Aries used his position as Chairman of the Muara Enim DPRD to approve the use of aspiration funds in the construction of the 16 project packages with the contractor owned by Robi which had been arranged.

However, during the trial the defendant did not admit to having accepted the flow of bribes amounting to Rp22 billion from Robi to the former Muara Regent Enim Ahmad Yani and to a number of other members of the Muara Enim DPRD.

Because of that, the defendant was still thinking about filing an appeal against the judge's decision, the KPK prosecutor also thought about filing an appeal.

"But we are satisfied because the article that we are accused of is proven, henceforth we will first look at the judges' considerations," said KPK prosecutor Ricky BM after the teleconference trial.

Meanwhile, Aries was the fourth defendant convicted in the bribery case for 16 road project packages in Muara Enim, previously the former Muara Enim Regent Ahmad Yani was sentenced to 5 years in prison and paid a replacement fee of IDR 2.1 billion on May 5, 2020.

Then, the Head of Roads and Bridges of the Muara Regency PUPR Service, Elfin MZ Muchtar, was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of Rp. 200 million and returned Rp. 2.6 billion in compensation on April 28, 2020. He became Ahmad Yani's confidant.

Meanwhile, Robi Okta Pahlevi was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of Rp. 250 million, a subsidiary of 6 months on January 28, 2019. Aries is said to have accepted the flow of bribes from him.