Riau's Former Governor Abdul Wahid Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison

Riau Governor Abdul Wahid is inactive after undergoing a verdict hearing at the Pekanbaru PN with a sentence of 2 years in prison. ANTARA/Bayu Agustari Adha

PEKANBARU - The Corruption Court of Pekanbaru District Court, Riau Province, sentenced the defendant, the non-active Riau Governor Abdul Wahid, to two years in prison.

The presiding judge of the Delta Tamtama, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Pekanbaru PN, as well as two members of the court, Aziz Muslim and Dr. Edy Darma Putra read the verdict in the Prof R Soebakti Courtroom, Thursday, July 30.

The presiding judge of the Delta Tamtama stated that the defendant, Abdul Wahid, was proven to be legally and convincingly guilty of committing a corruption crime.

"To impose a prison sentence on the defendant Abdul Wahid for two years and a fine of Rp. 200 million with the provision that if the fine is not paid, it will be replaced with a prison sentence for 80 days," said the judge as reported by ANTARA.

In addition, the panel of judges also sentenced the defendant to pay compensation in the amount of IDR 1.45 billion. If the defendant does not pay the compensation within a maximum of one month after the court's decision has obtained the force of law, his property can be auctioned to cover the compensation.

"In the event that the convict does not have sufficient assets to pay the substitute money, it is replaced with a prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months," said the judge.

The judge stated that Abdul Wahid was guilty as charged in the third alternative of Article 12 b Jo. Article 18 of the Republic of Indonesia Law number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia number 20 of 2001 concerning changes to Law of the Republic of Indonesia number 31 of 1999 concerning corruption crimes Jo. Article 20 letter c of Law number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.

The judge also set the period of detention that the defendant had served to be reduced by the sentence imposed. In addition, he also determined that the defendant would remain in custody and pay a trial fee of Rp. 10 thousand.

Previously, the judge also conveyed that the defendant's burden was not supporting the government's program in eradicating criminal acts of corruption and the defendant was a state organizer. The mitigating factor was that the defendant had never been convicted, the defendant was the backbone of the family and the defendant was still young.

Previously, Abdul Wahid was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison by the Public Prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission. This was due to alleged corruption and extortion against the Head of the Technical Implementation Unit for Roads and Bridges at the Riau Provincial Office of Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing, Residential Areas and Land.

Abdul Wahid is considered to have forcibly asked the Heads of the Technical Implementation Unit for Roads and Bridges to provide money and payments for the defendant's needs totaling Rp. 2.45 billion. In addition to Abdul Wahid, who is also a suspect, the Head of the Riau PUPRPKPP Office, Arif Setiawan, and the Riau Governor's Expert, Dani Nursalam.