Amazing Eddy Rumpoko Buried At TMP Batu, KPK: How Come Corruptors Are Considered Heroes

Former Mayor Of Batu, Eddy Rumpoko (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Nurul Ghufron spoke up regarding the controversy of the former Mayor of Batu, Eddy Rumpoko who was buried in the Heroes Cemetery of Suropati, Batu City, East Java. In fact, Eddy Rumpoko is known to have died as a convict of corruption. "We regret that someone who has been terminated based on a legal process of permanent force and was found guilty of corruption, was actually buried in a hero garden," said Nurul Ghufron in his statement, Tuesday, December 12. Ghufron said that Eddy Rumpoko is not worthy of being buried with the heroes who have contributed to the country. "Corruption has harmed and betrayed the people and the Indonesian state. In the future, it is necessary to review again the procedure of someone who deserves to be buried in a hero garden," said Ghufron. According to him, even when as the mayor of Batu, Eddy Rumpoko had produced a number of achievements, this achievement should have been reviewed because the person concerned was involved in corruption. "Whatever the award, if it turns out that it is proven corruption, all of these awards should be reassessed. Thus, it is clear whether the person concerned has the right to be buried in TMP, so as not to injure the respect of the Indonesian nation to the heroes," concluded Ghufron. Eddy Rumpoko was found guilty in a case of alleged corruption and sentenced to seven years in prison by the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Surabaya District Court (PN), East Java. Since May 2022, Eddy has served a sentence in Class I prison Semarang because he was proven to have accepted bribes. Even though trying to file a review (PK), Eddy Rumpoko was first arrested in the KPK's arrest operation (OTT) in 2017, related to bribery in the procurement of goods and services in the Batu City Government. The panel of judges of the Surabaya District Court sentenced him to 3 years in prison, which was later increased to 3.5 years in the appeal process. At the casssation level, Eddy was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison because he was proven to have accepted bribes. Despite trying to file (PK), his efforts were rejected.

While still serving the sentence of the first case, Eddy was again convicted in May 2022 by the Surabaya Corruption Court, this time related to gratification. The sentence is 7 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 500 million. Despite making appeals to the cassation, Eddy Rumpoko failed and eventually died on Thursday (30/11/2023) at 05.30 WIB at the Dr. Kariadi Central General Hospital (RSUP), Semarang, Central Java. His funeral was held at the Suropati Heroes Cemetery, Batu City, East Java, on Thursday 31 November.