Aceh Besar Regency Government Official Charged With Market Retribution Corruption Sued 6.5 Years In Prison

BETWEEN/M Haris SA

The public prosecutor (JPU) of the Aceh Besar District Attorney demanded an official within the local district government with a sentence of six years and six months in prison because he was found guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption in market retribution with a state loss of around Rp545 million.

The claim was read out by Public Prosecutor Wira Fadillah and friends from the Aceh Besar District Attorney during a trial at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court in Banda Aceh, Monday, June 3.

The defendant on behalf of Muslim (52) served as Head of Trade for the Cooperatives of Small and Medium Enterprises and Trade in Aceh Besar District. The defendant is also the Head of the Market Task Force for the Department of Small and Medium Enterprises Cooperatives and Trade in Aceh Besar Districts in 2020 and 2021.

The trial with the panel of judges chaired by Hamzah Sulaiman accompanied by Harmi Jaya and Saptica Handini each as member judges. The Muslim defendant was present at the trial accompanied by his legal adviser.

In addition to imprisonment, the Public Prosecutor also demanded that the defendant pay a fine of Rp. 200 million, subsidiary to six months in prison, and demanded to pay compensation for state losses of Rp. 545.18 million, provided that if he does not pay, he will be sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant's actions violated Article 2 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 18 Paragraph (1) letters a, b Paragraph (2), Paragraph (3) of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

The Public Prosecutor stated that the Muslim defendant from July 2020 to December 2021 was suspected of committing a criminal act of corruption in the Lambaro Market levy, Want Jaya District, and Keutapang Market, Darul Imang District.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant ordered witnesses MS, MH, KH, and MN to quote levies ranging from Rp. 3,000 to Rp. 8,000 per loss every day. In addition, the defendant also quoted parking fees, market toilets, and others.

"After quoting, the defendant did not deposit the money from the quote into the regional treasury based on the applicable laws and regulations," he said.

Based on the results of calculations by the Aceh State Finance and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) that the state losses caused by the defendant's actions reached Rp545.18 million.

"Based on the facts at the trial, the defendant did not manage the levy properly, thus enriching or benefiting others who caused state losses," said the Public Prosecutor.

Meanwhile, the defendant and his legal adviser stated that they rejected the public prosecutor's demands, and the defendant stated that he would file a written defense note.

The panel of judges stated that they would continue the trial in the week with the agenda of hearing the defendant's defense.