Denpasar District Court Judge Sentences 3 Operators Online Gambling 2.5 Years In Prison

Three online gambling operators walked to the detention car after undergoing a verdict hearing at the Denpasar District Court, Bali, Tuesday (3/10/2023). ANTARA/Rolandus Nampu

The panel of judges at the Denpasar District Court, Bali sentenced two years and six months (2.5 years) to prison for three online gambling operators in a trial held in Tirta's room, Denpasar District Court.

The three operators are Dedi Bagus Suhendri (27), Jery Lionardo (20), and Steven Renaldy (19), respectively.

"The three defendants were sentenced to imprisonment of two years and six months in prison and a fine of Rp. 5 million, subsidiary to three months in prison," said Chief Justice Agus Akhyudi.

The judge's decision was lighter than the demands of the Public Prosecutor, namely the defendants were each in prison for three years and a fine of Rp. 5 million, subsidiary to six months in prison.

In their decision, the panel of judges assessed that the actions of the three defendants were legally and convincingly proven to have violated Article 27 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 45 paragraph (1) of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia No.11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to 1 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).

The article states that the defendant together intentionally and without rights has distributed and/or transmitted and/or accessible information and/or electronic documents that have gambling content.

The things that incriminate the defendants according to the judge's consideration were because the actions of the defendants were contrary to the government's efforts to eradicate online gambling.

"The defendants have never been convicted, acknowledged and regretted their actions and are the backbone of the family," said Agus Akhyudi about the considerations that eased the defendant, quoted by Antara.

Regarding the verdict, the defendants stated that they accepted, while the Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the Bali High Prosecutor's Office stated that they were still thinking about the decision.

Previously, based on the indictment of Public Prosecutor Eddy Arta Wijaya, the three defendants were arrested by the team of the Directorate of Cyber Crime at the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit at the inn Jalan Pulau Indah, Dauh, West Denpasar District, Denpasar City, Bali, on Friday (14/5/2023).

In the indictment, it is stated that the types of online gambling offered by the defendants in the axes777.net website gambling include slots, casinos, soccer gambling, lottery, cockfighting and shooting fish.

In this case, the defendants were controlled by a boss named Rudianto alias Ko Rudi. They have acted as operators since November 2022 and received a salary of IDR 7.5 million to IDR 8.5 million every month.

After attending the trial at the Denpasar District Court, the three of them went straight to the prisoner's car and were escorted by Denpasar District Court officers and Kerobokan prison officers.