72-Year-Old Grandfather Sued 1.6 Years In Prison, Gunung Sugih District Court Judge Asked To Apply Justice Value

Gunung Sugih District Court held a trial case for 72-year-old grandfather selling generators and was sentenced to 1.6 years in prison/ Photo: ISt

JAKARTA - The alleged criminalization attempt against the 72-year-old grandfather in Central Lampung is in the trial stage at the Gunung Sugih District Court. The Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Central Lampung District Attorney charged the defendant MS for 1 year and 6 months.

Advocate Alvin Lim from LQ Indonesia Law Firm, as the defendant's legal advisor, admitted that he was surprised by the case. He questioned how someone who sold their own goods was punished.

"I was surprised and surprised to see that law enforcement was allegedly used to criminalize a 72-year-old grandfather. How come the goods sold themselves can be punished. The prosecutor demanded 1 year and 6 months, but when asked which evidence of the source of their generator purchase was evaded, I lost my words looking at this case," said Alvin in his statement, Friday, November 29, 2024.

Alvin Lim argued that the legal process for this case seemed forced.

"Since the beginning, this case has only been raised to investigation, it seems forced. Investigators at the Central Lampung Police cannot distinguish between the legal entity and the business entity, the legal subject is not clear but has been fingerprinted. And it can be tried more severely, so it is strongly suspected that I am being ordered," he added.

Meanwhile, advocate Nathaniel Hutagaol, a colleague of Alvin Lim, said that his party had not seen any evidence that the defendant had sold other people's generators.

"Until we submitted this pledoi, there is no evidence stating that the generator sold by the defendant belongs to the Tri Karya Manunggal factory. The victim's witness admitted that he did not participate in buying the generator and did not participate in the joint venture to buy the generator. What is even worse, until now the source of the generator purchase fund cannot be proven by investigators or the prosecutor," he said.

In line with his two colleagues, Advocate Tua Parningotan Ambarita who said that law enforcement was carried out for the truth.

"Until today, the financial audit of the Tri Karya Manunggal factory has never been carried out. It must be proven through an audit, is there any money expenditure for the factory to buy the generator? We have to be fair, don't make this law enforcement for disgraceful things. Don't make toys for people, worse it can be P21 from the Prosecutor's Office, declared complete," explained Ambarita.

Alvin Lim asked the judge who examined and tried this case to decide based on the values of justice. So, he continued, the dignity of the judge can still be maintained even though unpleasant issues are hitting the judiciary institution.