Corruption In The Wudhu Place Project, Village Head In Aceh Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison

Archives - Defendant of corruption in village funds, Salma Irdi, while attending the previous trial at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court in Banda Aceh. ANTARA/M Haris SA

The panel of judges at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court (PN) sentenced the defendant Salma Irdi, the Head of AuleJeureunak Village, Southwest Aceh Regency, to five years in prison for being proven guilty of corruption in village funds.

The verdict was read out by the panel of judges chaired by Fauzi who was accompanied by Harni Jaya and You Hariansyah respectively as member judges at the trial at the Corruption Court at the Banda Aceh District Court, in Banda Aceh, Thursday, October 10.

The defendant Salma Ird is the Head of Alue Jeureunak Village, Babahrot District, Southwest Aceh Regency from 2015 to 2021.

In addition to a five-year prison sentence, the panel of judges also sentenced the defendant Salma Irdi to pay a fine of Rp. 200 million provided that if he did not pay, he would be replaced with imprisonment for three months.

The panel of judges also sentenced the defendant Salma Irdi to pay compensation for state losses of Rp469.4 million. The money is paid no later than one month after the decision has permanent legal force.

If he does not pay, the panel of judges ordered the public prosecutor to confiscate the defendant's property and auction it off to cover the compensation for the state's losses.

"If the defendant does not have property to pay compensation for state losses, he will be sentenced to one year in prison," said the panel of judges.

The panel of judges declared the defendant legally and convincingly guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption in village funds as regulated in Article 2 Paragraph (1) of Law (UU) Number 31 of 1999 as amended into Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption.

Based on the facts at the trial, said the panel of judges, the defendant Salma Irdi committed a criminal act of corruption in village funds between 2019 and 2020 with a state loss of Rp469.4 million.

The defendant committed the criminal act of corruption, including reducing the volume of plant seeds. In addition, using village funds for personal interests that should be for the benefit of the community and business entities belonging to gampong (BUMG).

The defendant also used village funds to pay taxes for his own interests, including using funds for the construction of ablution sites for personal interests or the procurement of other goods and services in the village.

"The aggravating thing is that the defendant's actions do not support the government's efforts to eradicate corruption. As for mitigating matters, the defendant has never been punished and has family responsibilities," said the panel of judges.

Both the public prosecutor and the defendant expressed their thoughts. The verdict of the panel of judges is in accordance with the demands of the public prosecutor which was read out at the previous trial.