Read Pleidoi, Johnny G Plate Talks About Political Elements In 4G BTS Corruption Cases

Johnny G Plate/DOK VOI-Rizky Adytia

JAKARTA - Former Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) Johnny G Plate alluded to many assumptions about his determination as a suspect in the alleged corruption case of the 4G BTS project with poltic nuances.

He made this statement when he read out the memorandum of defense or plea for the demands of the public prosecutor (JPU) that he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Johnny G Plate initially stated that none of the prosecutors' charges against him were not proven. Both refer to witness statements and experts.

"The contents and material of the public prosecutor's indictment are the same as the indictment, even though based on the facts of the trial, all the charges that have been argued against me have been refuted," Johnny said during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, November 1.

"Not only part of it, but entirely by the testimony of witnesses, expert opinions, and evidence that has been presented at the trial," he continued.

After doing this, Johnny then talked about many views from various parties who said that the suspect's determination was strong political elements.

It is known, Johnny G Plate is a cadre of the NasDem Party who carried Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar as Presidential and Vice President Candidates in the 2024 General Election (Pemilu) contestation. "In addition, considering that from the start I was named a suspect, it is undeniable that there are so many opinions that my determination as a suspect cannot be separated from the political situation that was happening at that time," he said.

In fact, after reading the letter of demand which he considered to have ignored the facts of the trial, Johnny thought that there was indeed a possibility of a political element behind the case involving him.

"After seeing the contents of the indictment of the public prosecutor who ignored all the facts of the trial, a new question arose in me, is it really the widely circulated opinion that I was made a suspect and then the defendant, made a prisoner, accused of being a corruptor, just for political reasons," he said.

Nevertheless, Johnny emphasized that he would not use political reasons in his defense. He still believes that he did not commit any criminal acts in the alleged corruption case of the BTS project.

"Meski demikian, saya tetap pada komitmen saya bahwa saya akan menghadapi proses hukum yang sedang saya makapi ini dalam koridor hukum, dan saya tidak akan dan tidak perlu menggunakan alasan-alasan poltik dalam perlindungan diri saya," ujarnya.

"Because I believe that I am innocent and I will prove my innocence through a legal process so that none of the parties will be able to delegitize my truth in this case," said Johnny.

Johnny G Plate was sentenced to 15 years in prison. This is because the prosecutor assessed that Plate was proven guilty of corruption in the 4G BTS project.

Not only criminal sanctions, but the prosecutor also demanded Johnny G Plate to pay Rp1 billion. If you do not have the ability to replace it with a prison sentence of one year.

The prosecutor also charged Johnny G Plate to pay the replacement money. The amount is IDR 17.8 billion.

"It charges the defendant to pay a replacement money of Rp. 17.8 billion, a subsidiary of 7.5 years," said the prosecutor.