Ponorogo School Principal Maling Dana BOS Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison, 11 Buses Seized by the State

The defendant Syamhudi Arifin attends the online reading of the verdict at the Surabaya Corruption Court. Antara/HO - Prastyo.

PONOROGO - The Surabaya Corruption Court (Tipikor) panel of judges sentenced Syamhudi Arifin, Head of SMK 2 PGRI Ponorogo, to 12 years in prison in the corruption case of misuse of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds.

The Acting Head of the Intelligence Section of the Ponorogo District Attorney's Office, Furkon Adi Hermawan, said the verdict was lighter than the Public Prosecutor's (JPU) demand for a 14-year-and-six-month prison sentence.

"The decision of the panel of judges is 2.5 years lower than the prosecutor's demand," said Furkon as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 24.

In addition to imprisonment, the panel of judges also imposed a fine of IDR 300 million with a five-month imprisonment. The defendant is also required to pay compensation for state losses of IDR 25 billion.

"If the substitute money is not paid, it will be replaced with a seven-year prison sentence," he said.

Furkon explained that in the investigation and trial process, the Ponorogo District Attorney's Office had seized a number of evidence in the form of cash of Rp. 3.175 billion, 11 buses, three Avanza cars, and one Pajero car.

All the evidence was confiscated for the state and accounted for as a substitute payment.

"During the examination process until the trial, the defendant was cooperative," he said.

He emphasized that the Prosecutor's Office respected the decision of the panel of judges as well as the attitude of the defendant's legal advisor who stated that he would think about it for seven days to determine the next legal steps.

"If the verdict is final and binding, the defendant will be executed and detained at the Ponorogo Class IIB Detention House," he said.

In its consideration, the panel of judges stated that the defendant was proven to have legally and convincingly violated Article 2 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Crime Law as charged by the JPU.

The defendant's actions are considered illegal and enrich themselves by abusing the authority inherent in their position as school principal, resulting in large-scale state losses.