Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison In Gratification Case, Former Head Of Makassar Customs Andhi Pramono Files An Appeal

Former Head of Makassar Customs and Excise Office Andhi Pramono after the verdict hearing at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Monday, April 1, 2023. (ANTARA-Fath Putra Mulya)

JAKARTA - Former Head of Makassar Customs and Excise Office Andhi Pramono filed an appeal against the 10-year prison sentence in the case of receiving gratuities within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu).

"Thank you, Your Excellency, God willing, I will appeal," said Andhi Pramono in response to Judge Chairman Djuyamto's question during a trial reading the verdict at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Jakarta, Monday, April 1, which was confiscated by Antara.

Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated that he would think about the verdict first.

"Thus, the investigation of the corruption case on behalf of the defendant Andhi Pramono has been completed, the trial is closed," said Djuyamto closing the trial.

Met after the trial, Andhi Pramono's legal adviser, Eddhi Sutarto, said the appeal was a form of fulfilling his client's legal rights.

He said the appeal points would later remain on the memorandum of defense or plea at trial.

"Our appeal remains to be related to the plea of connection and other related matters," said Eddhi.

The panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced the defendant Andhi Pramono to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, provided that if the fine was not paid, it would be replaced with imprisonment for six months.

Andhi Pramono was proven to have received gratification and violated Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 65 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

"Declaring that the defendant Andhi Pramono has been legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption as indicted by the public prosecutor," said Djuyamto reading the verdict.

In passing the verdict, the panel of judges considered the aggravating thing that Andhi Pramono's actions had reduced public or public trust in the institution where he worked. In addition, Andhi also did not admit his actions.

"The defendant did not assist the government's program in preventing and eradicating corruption," added Djuyamto.

Meanwhile, mitigating matters that were also considered include Andhi Pramono being polite at trial and having never been convicted before.

In this case, Andhi Pramono was proven to have received gratuities totaling Rp58.9 billion from a number of parties while serving as a number of strategic positions at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise.

This amount consists of rupiah and foreign currency, namely Rp50,286,275,189.79, then US$264,500 or equivalent to Rp3,800,871,000.00, and 409,000 Singapore dollars or equivalent to Rp4,886,970,000.00.

The verdict of the panel of judges is lower than the demands of the anti-corruption commission prosecutor. Previously, he was charged with 10 years and three months in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to six months.