Proven Corruption, Labuhanbatu Regent Erik Ritonga Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison

The defendant Erik Adtrada Ritonga listened to the judge's decision in the Cakra II Court of Corruption at the Medan District Court, North Sumatra, Wednesday (25/9/2024). ANTARA/Aris Rinaldi Nasution

The panel of judges at the Corruption Court at the Medan District Court (PN), North Sumatra, sentenced the defendant Labuhanbatu Regent to 6 years in prison, Erik Adtrada Ritonga, for being proven to have received a project security bribe of Rp4.98 billion.

"Sentenced the defendant Erik Adtrada Ritonga to 6 years in prison," said Chief Judge As'ad Rahim Lubis at the Corruption Court at the Medan District Court, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 25.

The panel of judges stated that the defendant Erik Adtrada Ritonga was found guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption together in accordance with the primary indictment.

In addition to imprisonment, the judge also sentenced the defendant Labuhanbatu Regent to be inactive in paying a fine of Rp. 300 million on the condition that if the fine was not paid, it was replaced with imprisonment for 6 months.

"The defendant was proven to have violated Article 12 letter bjuncto Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code jo. Article 65 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code, as stated in the first alternative indictment," he said.

From the facts at the trial, the panel of judges assessed that the defendant Erik Adtrada Ritonga had enjoyed the money from the bribery amounting to Rp1.7 billion.

The amount of money that has been enjoyed, the panel of judges charged the defendant Labuhanbatu Regent to pay a replacement money of Rp368 million.

This is considering that more than Rp1.33 billion has been confiscated and confiscated for the state by the public prosecutor (JPU) at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"If the defendant does not pay the replacement money no later than 1 month after the court's decision has permanent legal force (inkrah), his property will be confiscated and auctioned off by the prosecutor to cover the replacement money," said Judge As'ad.

However, he continued, if the defendant's property, Erik Adtrada Ritonga, was also not sufficient to cover the replacement money, it would be replaced with imprisonment for 2 years.

"Imposing additional penalties to the defendant in the form of revocation of political rights to be elected as members of the DPR RI, provincial DPRD, and district/city DPRD for 3 years starting from the end of serving their sentence," said As'ad.