Wasanoppeng District Court In South Sulawesi Sentenced To 4 Months In Prison Gerindra Candidates Violate 2024 Election Rules

Illustration of the criminal case process in court. (Between)

The Watansoppeng District Court (PN) in South Sulawesi (Sulsel) sentenced a defendant to four months in prison for a Gerindra Party Provincial DPRD candidate named Henny Binti Abdul Latif Lukas for being found guilty of violating the rules of the 2024 General Election.

"Declaring that the defendant is legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act, the election campaign participant who deliberately promised other materials in return to the election campaign participants indirectly," reads the verdict quoted on the Watansoppeng District Court website, Wednesday, March 27, which was confiscated by Antara.

The verdict is as stated in the alternative indictments of the two public prosecutors.

Furthermore, imposing a sentence on the defendant with a prison sentence of four months and a fine of Rp. 10 million, provided that if the fine is not paid, it is replaced with imprisonment for three months.

In addition to imposing a verdict in the excerpt of Decision number 4/Pid.S.Pemilu/2024/PN Wns, the panel of judges also determined evidence in the form of a letter from the Chairman of the South Sulawesi Provincial DPRD number: 161/13/DPRD, dated January 23, 2024 regarding the Implementation of APBD Supervision Activities addressed to the Governor of South Sulawesi.

Furthermore, one letter number: 090/54/DPRD/2024 and one official travel letter (SPD) number: 090/123/DPRD/2024 dated January 22, 2024 to Dra Hj Henny Latief with the position of Member of the South Sulawesi Provincial DPRD.

Then a silver robot brand flashdisk unit with a capacity of 4 Gigabytes was returned to witness Andi Madokelleng. Charge the defendant to pay the court fee of Rp. 3,000.

The decision was based on the deliberation of the Panel of Judges at the Watansoppeng District Court on Monday, March 25, 2024 which was signed by Moh Kurniawan Sidiq as the Chief Judge, as well as Elisabeth Panjaitan and Angga Hakim Permana Putra respectively as Member Judges.

The decision was pronounced in an open session to the public on Monday, March 25, 2024 by the presiding judge accompanied by the member judges, assisted by the Intermediate Substitute Registrar, at the Watansoppeng District Court attended by the Public Prosecutor of the Soppeng Kejari Yogi Pratama and the defendant's Legal Advisor without being attended by the defendant.

Concerned about violating Article 523 paragraph (1) Juncto Article 280 paragraph (1) letter j Law number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections and Law number 8 of 1981 concerning Criminal Procedure Law and other laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, Henny Latif, confirmed that reporters were aware of the court's decision, but his party would file a legal step by taking an appeal against the decision. Because he feels innocent and only carries out the duties of the state as a representative of the people.

"I and a team of lawyers will appeal. First, I as a member of the South Sulawesi DPRD only carry out state duties. Second, I have never promised anything to the public," Henny told reporters by telephone.

He is also optimistic that the appeal will free him from alleged election criminal offenses.

However, Henny stated that whatever the decision would be received later, because it was the best way for him.