Supreme Court Justice Gazalba Saleh Demanded 11 Years In Prison

The trial of the bribery case involving Supreme Court Justice Gazalba Saleh was held at the Bandung District Court, Bandung City, West Java, Thursday (13/7/2023). (ANTARA/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi)

The defendant in the bribery case for case management, namely the inactive Supreme Court Justice Gazalba Saleg, was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Public Prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for allegedly being proven to have received a bribe of 20 thousand Singapore dollars.

Public Prosecutor Wawan Yunarwanto said the charges were given based on the conclusions of the facts of the trial, ranging from witness statements, evidence of clues, to evidence presented.

"So that the panel of judges decide, declare the defendant Gazalba Saleh proven legally and convincingly guilty. Sentencing him a sentence of 11 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, subsidiary to 6 months in prison," said Wawan at the Bandung Corruption Court, Thursday, July 13.

The prosecutor demanded that Gazalba be found guilty of violating Article 12 letter c in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.

In that case, the prosecutor explained that Gazalba was suspected of accepting bribes to grant the petitioner's request, Heryanto Tanaka, to grant the cassation case related to the Intidana Savings and Loans Cooperative (KSP) case.

According to the prosecutor, the bribes prepared by Heryanto Tanaka to take care of the case amounted to 110 thousand Singapore dollars. Then the money was channeled in a chain, starting from through lawyers, ASN in the MA environment, to Prasetio Nugroho as the substitute clerk or assistant who is a representation of Gazalba Saleh.

In the process, the prosecutor said that Gazalba Saleh had concluded from the start to grant the appeal. The cassation was handled by Sri Murwahyuni (chairman of the panel), Gazalba Saleh (member judge), to Prim Haryadi (member judge).

However, according to him, Prim Haryadi had different opinions from Gazalba Saleh and gave a dissenting opinion. In addition, Sri Murwahyuni agreed with Gazalba Saleh until finally the cassation case was granted.

"Then because it was 2-1, so it granted five years as proposed for the first time by Pak Gazalba," he said.

Furthermore, Gazalba Saleh is scheduled to read a memorandum of defense on the agenda for next week's trial. Gazalba also plans to be present in person at the Bandung District Court after previously attending the online trial.