Gazalba Saleh Calls The KPK Prosecutor's Demand Full Of Revenge, Blindly Blind

The trial of reading the memorandum of defense (pleidoi) of the defendant Supreme Court Judge Gazalba Saleh at the Corruption Court (Tipikor), Jakarta, Tuesday (17/9/2024). ANTARA/Putu Indah Savitri

The inactive Supreme Court Justice Gazalba Saleh assessed that the Public Prosecutor's (JPU) charges against him in cases of alleged gratification and money laundering (TPPU) were a form of revenge for previously failing to criminalize him in other cases.

The prosecutor is known to have demanded Gazalba Saleh with a prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of Rp. 1 billion.

"The 15-year prison sentence that the KPK public prosecutor has demanded against me feels very heavy and beyond reason," Gazalba read out a memorandum of defense or plea in a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Tuesday, September 17.

According to him, the prosecutor's demands against him were very unfair. Moreover, with the alleged receipt of gratuities of Rp. 200 million but instead being charged with 15 years in prison.

Gazalba Saleh also mentioned several other corruption cases whose gratification values were greater but were demanded not to be severe.

For example, Doctor I Wayan Candra's gratification case, which is worth IDR 42 billion with a criminal charge of 15 years. Then, the case of the Secretary of the Supreme Court (MA), Nurhadi with a gratuity value of IDR 49.5 billion was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

There is also a case of the former Regent of Kudus, Muhammad Tamzil, whose gratification value is Rp. 750 million but only charged with 10 years; the case of gratification of the former Regent of Langkat Terbit Rencana Perangin-angin with a gratification value of Rp. 572 million whose prison term is 9 years.

The former Head of the Makassar Customs and Excise Office, South Sulawesi, whose gratification value is Rp. 58.97 billion but was sentenced to 10 years and 3 months in prison; and former Mayor of Bandung Yana Mulyana whose gratification value is Rp. 407 million with a demand of 5 years in prison.

"Does the KPK public prosecutor have a reference standard in prosecuting gratification cases?" he said.

In fact, Gazalba stated that the KPK prosecutor had used his authority excessively.

"If there is none, then the KPK public prosecutor has used his authority excessively, abuse of power. Objective, joyful, hateful and blind, objective and rational law enforcement has been ignored," he said.

Until finally, Gazalba said that the prosecutor seemed to draw up charges with revenge against him.

"And the spirit of revenge against me is very dominant for failing to imprison me in the previous case," Gazalba said.