Cut Romahurmuziy Sentence, KPK Asked To Field Field

Gedung KPK (Muhammad Iqbal / VOI)

JAKARTA - Lawyers for the former Chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Romahurmuziy, Maqdir Ismail, asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to be generous with the Jakarta High Court's decision to accept the appeal and cut the sentence received by his client.

Romahurmuziy (Romy), who became a defendant in the case of buying and selling positions at the Ministry of Religion, was initially sentenced to 2 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 100 million, a subsidiary of 3 months in prison by the Corruption Court Judges. He appealed to the Jakarta High Court and this was granted. Currently Romy is only obliged to carry out a sentence of 1 year, subsidiary to 3 months of imprisonment and a fine of Rp. 100 million.

"We hope that the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the General Prosecutor (JPU) will gracefully accept this decision," Maqdir told reporters when contacted, Friday, April 24.

Although he appreciates the decision of the Jakarta High Court Council, Maqdir is not satisfied with the decision. Because, Romy is still found guilty of these charges.

In this case, Romy was accused of receiving money from the Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of East Java Haris Hasanudin and the Head of the Office of the Ministry of Religion of Gresik Regency, M. Muafaq Wirahadi. In the indictment, Romy was declared to have received Rp. 325 million from Haris Hasanudin and Rp. 91.4 million from Muafaq.

"We are grateful to the Panel of Judges who have handed down this decision, although we are not quite satisfied. Because, in our opinion, what was charged was not legally and legally proven," said Maqdir.

"If the charges are not proven, how long a person will serve in detention must be released by the court. Releasing a defendant according to the law is not a crime but a crime is punishing an innocent person," he added.

He hopes that, next week, Romy will be able to breathe fresh air outside the KPK detention center even though the anti-graft agency will file an appeal.

Acting KPK spokesman for prosecution Ali Fikri said the KPK's team of Public Prosecutors (JPU) had received a copy of the decision on Thursday, April 23. This decision, however, is lower than the verdict of the Panel of Judges at the Corruption Court.

The KPK respects the ruling and is still analyzing the verdict that cut Romy's sentence. After that, the results of this analysis will be reported to the five KPK leaders.

"According to the mechanism, the KPK team of prosecutors will analyze the considerations of the decision and immediately propose the next decision to the KPK leadership," said Ali in his written statement.

Meanwhile, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said this decision was much lower than the decision of a village head in Bekasi Regency who carried out extortion in 2019.

According to them, the village head was sentenced to 4 years in prison because he was proven to have extorted Rp.30 million from another party. "Meanwhile, Romahurmuziy, who has the status of a former Chairman of the Political Party, recipients of bribes of more than Rp. 300 million are only punished with a sentence of 1 year in prison," said Kurnia.

"The reduced sentence at the appeal level against Romahurmuziy has seriously tarnished the sense of justice in the community," he added.

Kurnia assessed that, from the start, Romahumuziy's verdict was the lowest compared to the verdicts of other former party chairmen. Like Luthfi Hasan Ishaq, former Chairman of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) who was sentenced to 18 years in prison, former Chairman of the Democratic Party Anas Urbaningrum was sentenced to 14 years in prison, then former PPP Chairman Suryadharma Ali was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and former Chairman of the Golkar Party Setya Novanto was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

"The verdict handed down by the High Court should be heavier than the verdict at the first level. In fact, it would be better if the judge also revoked the political rights concerned," he said.

The KPK, said Kurnia, should have submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court (MA) regarding the decision. Because, this kind of low verdict is nothing new. Given that, in 2019, ICW recorded that on average, defendants in corruption cases were only sentenced to 2 years and 7 months in prison.

"With these conditions, Indonesia's aspiration to be free from corrupt practices will never be achieved," he concluded.