Terminated Free, Sofyan Basir Asked To Block His Account Opened

Former Director of PT PLN (Persero) Sofyan Basyir (Wardhani Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Supreme Court (MA) rejected the appeal filed by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) against the former President Director of PT PLN (Persero) Sofyan Basir.

The Supreme Court's Panel of Cassation Judges assessed that the Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) decision was not wrong in applying the verdict related to the Sofyan Basir case in the Riau-1 PLTU bribery case.

"The public prosecutor's appeal was rejected because according to the Panel of Cassation Judges, the verdict of the Central Jakarta Corruption Court was not wrong in applying the law," MA spokesman Andi Samsan Nganro told reporters, Wednesday, June 17.

The Jakarta Corruption Court said that Sofyan Basir was not proven to be involved in assisting the criminal act of bribery related to the Riau-1 PLTU project agreement. This is considered by the Supreme Court to be correct.

Moreover, Andi continued, the cassation memory filed by the KPK Prosecutor was a fact and an assessment based on the results of evidence.

"Based on these reasons, the Panel of Cassation Judges unanimously stated that the public prosecutor's appeal must be rejected. The case was decided on Tuesday, June 16," said Andi.

Responding to the decision, Sofyan Basir's lawyer, Soesilo Ariwibowo, said the decision was correct. Because, from the beginning there was no involvement of his client in the bribery case.

"I think the verdict was correct because from the start there was no trace or rea of Pak SB to assist in corruption," said Soesilo when contacted.

These facts, he continued, can be seen again in the consideration of the Corruption Court panel's decision. Due to the release decision, Sofyan Basir hopes that the KPK can immediately unblock the account.

"We are just waiting for the excerpt of the decision to request the execution of blocking of several accounts which are still frozen," he said.

It is known, the Panel of Judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court has handed down a acquittal sentence against Sofyan Basir in the case of alleged bribery assistance related to PLTU Riau-1.

In this decision, the panel of judges considered that Sofyan Basir did not know about the bribery that occurred between former Deputy Chairman of Commission VII DR RI Eni Maulani Saragih and former Secretary General of the Golkar Party Idrus Marhan and shareholders of Blackgold Natural Resources Ltd. Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo to speed up the agreement process related to the project.

On this decision, the KPK then submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court on Thursday, June 28, 2019.

In the cassation memory, the KPK prosecutor stated his belief in the criminal act committed by the former President Director of PT PLN (Persero). The anti-corruption agency also stated that the Corruption Court decision cannot be categorized as a pure acquittal.

In addition, the KPK prosecutor also explained a number of facts from the trial that strengthened Sofyan's role and involvement in the case. The KPK also includes a recording of the trial to convince the Supreme Court's Cassation Judges.

The KPK believes that Sofyan Basir is aware of the bribery committed by Eni Saragih, Idrus Marham, and Kotjo regarding the project.