Four Bribing Officers of Pemalang Regent Sentenced to 1.5 Years in Prison

Chief Judge Bambang Setyo Widjanarko when reading the verdict against four bribers from the Pemalang Regent during a trial at the Semarang Corruption Court, Monday. (ANTARA / IC Senjaya)

SEMARANG - Four government officials of Pemalang Regency, Central Java were sentenced to 1.5 years in prison in a case of alleged bribery against the non-active Pemalang Regent Mukti Agung Wibowo regarding promotion and position transfer.

The verdict read out by presiding judge Bambang Setyo Widjanarko in a hearing at the Semarang Corruption Court was lighter than the prosecutor's demand for two years in prison.

In addition to corporal punishment, the four defendants also received a fine of IDR 50 million which, if not paid, will be replaced by four months in prison.

The four defendants who underwent a hybrid trial from the KPK detention center in Jakarta were Acting Regional Secretary of Pemalang Slamet Masduki, Head of BPBD Pemalang Sugiyanto, Head of the Pemalang Communication and Information Service Yanuarius Natbani, and Head of the Pemalang PUPR Service Muhammad Saleh.

"Declaring the defendant guilty of violating Article 5 paragraph 1 letter b of Law Number 31 of 1999 which was amended and added to Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning eradicating criminal acts of corruption", said Bambang as reported by ANTARA, Monday, January 9.

In his consideration, the judge stated that the defendants had been proven guilty of giving money to Regent Mukti Agung through his confidant Adi Jumal Widodo.

The amount of money given to Slamet Masduki was IDR 234 million, the defendant Sugiyanto was IDR 240 million, the defendant Yanuardi Narbani was IDR 350 million, and the defendant Muhammad Saleh was IDR 100 million.

The deposit money consists of thanksgiving money for promotions or transfers of positions of echelon 2 and 3 officials, as well as money for operational assistance for the Pemalang Regent.

According to the judge, the defendants as state civil servants did not try to implement a government that was clean of collusion, corruption, and nepotism.

Regarding this decision, the defendants who were undergoing trial from the KPK detention room in Jakarta expressed their acceptance.