Former Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison Plus Rp44 Billion In Replacement Money

The trial of the gratification case of former Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah at the Sidoarjo District Court, East Java, Monday (11/12/2023) ANTARA/HO-Achmad

SIDOARJO - Former Sidoarjo Regent, East Java Saiful Ilah was sentenced to 5 years with a fine of Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to three months in prison in a gratification case at the Surabaya Corruption Court.

Saiful Ilah was judged legally and convincingly for committing a criminal act of corruption to receive a number of gratuities, both from regional apparatus organizations (OPD) within the Sidoarjo Regional Government, BUMD Directors, to entrepreneurs, worth around Rp44 billion, both in the form of rupiah, dollars, and valuables such as precious metals, watches, bags, and cellphones.

The verdict was read out by the Chief Justice of the Surabaya Corruption Court I Ketut Suarta in a follow-up hearing with the agenda of reading the verdict against the defendant Saiful Ilah in a gratification case of Rp44 billion.

According to him, the defendant violated Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption in conjunction with Article 65 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

"The defendant Saiful Ilah was sentenced to five years in prison, a fine of Rp. 500 million, a subsidiary of three months. Keeping the defendant detained," said I Ketut Suarta while reading the verdict reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 11.

In addition, the judge also sentenced the defendant Saiful Ilah to an additional penalty to return the replacement money of around Rp44 billion.

If, for a month after the judge's decision is permanent, the defendant's replacement fee cannot be paid, the defendant's property will be confiscated by the KPK prosecutor for auction to pay the replacement fee.

"When the defendant's property is insufficient, he will be replaced with a substitute sentence, namely a three-year detention period," he explained.

In addition, the panel of judges also revoked the defendant's political right to hold public office for a period of three years after undergoing a prison sentence.

As for the aggravating thing for the defendant, Saiful Ilah was because the defendant who at that time served as regional head (Regent) did not play an active role in preventing corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN).

"In fact, the defendant was involved in carrying out corrupt practices. The defendant's actions have caused state losses," he said.

Hearing the verdict, the defendant Saiful Ilah wanted to file an appeal.

"I want an appeal, Your Majesty," said Saiful Ilah.

The Saiful case is the development of a bribery case related to the construction of infrastructure projects within the Sidoarjo Regency Government. This is the second time that Saiful Ilah has been caught in a legal case at the KPK.

In the bribery case, Saiful and his three subordinates were found guilty of accepting bribes from two contractors in Sidoarjo named Ibnu Gofur and Totok Sumedi. The bribe was carried out so that the two contractors could tender a number of infrastructure projects in Sidoarjo.

For this case, Saiful has been in prison for 3 years and released from January 2022. Now he is being charged with another suspect by the KPK