Ahead Of Juliari Batubara's Lawsuit, ICW: Demand For Life, Otherwise The KPK's Allegations Of Protecting The Perpetrators Are Proven

Former Minister of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) urges the Public Prosecutor (JPU) at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to charge the defendant in the alleged COVID-19 social assistance bribery case at the Ministry of Social Affairs Juliari Peter Batubara with life imprisonment.

Originally, Juliari would face a trial for reading the charges at the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) this afternoon.

"ICW urges the KPK to demand a maximum, which is life imprisonment, to the former Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P Batubara, in the corruption trial of the bribery case for the procurement of COVID-19 social assistance," said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana in a written statement, Wednesday, July 28.

The insistence is not without reason. According to Kurnia, a life sentence is appropriate because Juliari, as a state official, actually corrupted the social assistance money that should have been intended to help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Juliari practiced bribery in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia. This deceitful practice certainly cannot be forgiven, you can imagine, at that time, four days before the KPK's arrest, at least 543,000 people had been infected with COVID-19 and 17 thousand lives are lost," said Kurnia.

For one reason alone, continued Kurnia, the heaviest sanction deserves to be given. But if the prosecutor does not do so or gives a low demand, the allegations about the KPK protecting the social assistance corruption defendants will be even stronger.

"Based on the points above, if the KPK demands lowly Juliari, then the public allegation has been confirmed, namely that the KPK wants to protect the perpetrators of social assistance corruption," said Kurnia. For information, Juliari Peter Batubara was charged with accepting bribes worth Rp. 32.4 billion in the project. procurement of social assistance (bansos) COVID-19 throughout Jabodetabek. The bribe was received through two of his men.

Based on the indictment, Juliari received bribes through Adi Wahyono and Matheus Joko Santoso of Rp1,280 billion from a private party named Harry Van Sidabukke.

Then, Juliari also received money of Rp. 1.950 billion from the President Director of PT Tigapilar Agro Utama, Ardian Iskandar Maddanatja.

Finally, the indictment also states that Juliari received money worth Rp. 29,252,000,000 or Rp. 29.2 billion from several providers of goods for the social assistance project.

For his actions, Juliari was charged with violating Article 12 letter b in conjunction with Article 18 or Article 11 in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 to 1 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.