Former South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin Demanded 20 Years In Prison Plus Paying Replacement Money Of Millions Of US Dollars

PALEMBANG - Former Governor of South Sumatra (Sumsel) Alex Noerdin was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Alex Noerdin is believed to be involved in the case of alleged corruption in the purchase of natural gas by the Regional-Owned Enterprises of the Regional Mining and Energy Company (PDPDE) in 2010-2019 and the grant funds for the construction of the Great Mosque of Sriwijaya Palembang.

"Demanding the defendant Alex Noerdin with a prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to 6 months in prison," said the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Attorney General's Office accompanied by the Public Prosecutor's Team of the South Sumatra High Prosecutor's Office in the trial at the Palembang District Court reported by Antara, Wednesday, 25 May.

In addition, the Public Prosecutor required the defendant to pay compensation of US$3.2 million each in the South Sumatra PDPDE case, and Rp.4.8 billion in the case of the Sriwijaya Grand Mosque construction grant.

"The replacement money must be paid with the condition that if a month after the case has not been paid, all of the defendant's assets are confiscated, if the value of the assets is still insufficient, they will be replaced with 10 years in prison," said the public prosecutor reading the order before the panel of judges. chaired by Judge Yoserizal.

According to the Public Prosecutor, the sentence was given in accordance with the article charged with the defendant who allegedly violated Article 2 of Law (UU) Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 of the Criminal Code, subsidiary of Law Number 31/ 1999 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

Then, the primary indictment is Article 2 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31/1990 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) to (1) of the Criminal Code, subsidiary Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31/1999 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) -1 of the Criminal Code, in the case of the purchase of natural gas by the South Sumatra PDPDE BUMD.

The defendant Alex Noerdin, who was present online at the trial, said that he, through legal counsel, would submit a memorandum of defense at the next trial.

"We asked the judge for time to prepare the defense," he said.

The panel of judges closed the trial and will resume it on Thursday (2/6) next week at the Palembang District Court, with the agenda of hearing the defense of the defendant.

At the previous trial, the public prosecutor's team stated that they found irregularities that were suspected to be unreasonable in the alleged corruption case of the South Sumatra PDPDE, resulting in state financial losses which, according to expert calculations from the Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency, amounted to US$30,194,452.72.

At the time the case occurred, the defendant Alex Noerdin, apart from serving as the Governor of South Sumatra, also served as the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the South Sumatra PDPDE.

This case, also ensnared three other defendants, namely Muddai Madang as former Director of PT Dika Karya Lintas Nusa (a private investor company) and former Director of PT PDPDE Gas, Caca Ica Saleh S as former President Director of PDPDE and former President Director of PT PDPDE Gas. defendant A Yaniarsyah Hasan as former Director of PDPDE and former Director of PT Dika Karya Lintas Nusantara.