Lawyer: Achsanul Qosasi Returns All Bribes Of IDR 40 Billion

The trial of reading the replica or response of the public prosecutor to Achsanul Qosasi's defense note at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Tuesday (4/6/2024). (ANTARA/Agatha Olivia Victoria)

JAKARTA - Legal adviser to Member III of the Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) Achsanul Qosasi, Soesilo Aribowo said that his client had fully returned the bribe worth US$2.64 million or equivalent to Rp40 billion from the President Director of BAKTI Kominfo Anang Achmad Latif. "The money was fully returned as when it was received and did not decrease at all or was not used by the defendant, which has now been confiscated by the Indonesian Attorney General's Office investigators," Soesilo said in a hearing reading his response to the public prosecutor's replica (duplic) at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Antara, Tuesday, June 11. Thus, he emphasized, Achsanul had no malicious intent such as blackmailing or forcing people, but only had no other choice at that time. Moreover, he said, Achsanul had also honestly admitted his mistake and had never been convicted. In addition, continued Soesilo, the public prosecutor could not prove that Achsanul had forced or extorted so Anang Latif gave Rp40 billion to Achsanul through the Director of PT Multimedia Berdikari Sejahtera Windi Purnama. "Therefore, the defendant was not proven to have committed a criminal act of corruption as referred to in Article 12 letter e of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU)," he said. Related to that, he emphasized, Achsanul and his team of legal advisors rejected and objected to all the reasons and reasons outlined by the public prosecutor as stated in the replica that had been read out in the trial of the case. The reason, he continued, was that the pretext made by the public prosecutor had no legal basis, was not in accordance with the facts of the trial, and did not answer the principles in the a quo case contained in the memorandum of defense of the defendant or legal counsel. "The defendant and his legal adviser remain adamant on all arguments and requests to the defendant's defense note and legal counsel that have been read out at the trial of this case," said Soesilo. After the duplicate trial, the trial will continue with the agenda of reading the decision of the Panel of Judges to Achsanul on Thursday (20/6). Previously, Achsanul was sentenced to five years in prison in the alleged corruption case of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) 4G 2021 of the Telecommunication and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI) of the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo). In addition, the inactive BPK III member was also required to pay a fine of Rp. 500 million, provided that if the fine was not paid, it would be replaced with imprisonment for six months. Achsanul was charged with accepting bribes worth US$2.64 million or equivalent to Rp40 billion to conduct an examination of the BTS 4G BAKTI Kominfo project which will be carried out in 2021. The bribe money was received from the Director of PT Multimedia Berdikari Sejahtera Windi Purnama with the source of money from the Commissioner of PT Solitech Media Synergy Irwan Hermawan on the orders of former President Director of BAKTI Kominfo Anang Achmad Latif to be handed over to the defendant through the private sector who is also Achsanul's confidant, Sadikin Rusli.

The provision of bribes with the intention that Achsanul helps check the work of BTS 4G 2021 carried out by BAKTI Kominfo in order to get fair results without exception (WTP) and find no state losses in the implementation of the project. Achsanul's actions are as regulated and threatened with crime in Article 12 letter e, Article 5 paragraph (2), Article 12 B, and Article 11 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.