KPK Prosecutor Demands Former Regent Of Hulu Sungai Tengah 6 Years In Prison Plus Rp41 Billion Replacement Money

The Banjarmasin Corruption Court held a trial with the defendant, the former Regent of Hulu Sungai Tengah Abdul Latif, Wednesday (16/8/2023). (ANTARA/Firman)

BANJARMASIN - The public prosecutor from the KPK demanded that the former Regent of Hulu Sungai Tengah Abdul Latif be sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of Rp. 300 million, subsidiary to six months in prison and compensation of Rp. 41,553,654,006.

"If the defendant cannot pay the replacement money, he will be replaced with a sentence of six years in prison," said KPK prosecutor Ikhsan Fernandi at a trial at the Banjarmasin Corruption Court, South Kalimantan, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 16.

The KPK believes that Abdul Latif was proven guilty of corruption in the form of gratification and money laundering (TTPU) in the period 2016 to 2017 while serving as Regent of Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST).

The prosecutor also demanded that the defendant Abdul Latif be charged with Article 12 B in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code as stated in the first indictment.

Then Article 3 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering in conjunction with Article 65 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code as stated in the second indictment.

"From the facts of the trial and the statements of 73 witnesses and one expert, the defendant was proven to have carried out gratification and money laundering," said Fenandi.

The gratuity is in the form of a depositfee project from contractors worth more than Rp41 billion. Then for TTPU, the defendant kept money in a bank in the name of another person and spent it to buy assets and valuables.

The details, depositing into Bank Mandiri's account totaling Rp8,353,719,779, in a BTN account in the name of Fauzan Rifani amounting to Rp2,543,000,000.

The defendant also placed Rp1 billion in cash by purchasing ORI (Indonesian Retail Bonds) at BTN Banjarmasin Branch, buying two plots of land in Hulu Sungai Tengah for Rp2,851,350,000 and buying dozens of vehicles, including a large motorbike, with a total transaction of Rp19,722,126,000.

After reading the demands, the panel of judges chaired by Jamser Simanjuntak gave the defendant who attended the trial online from Sukamiskin Prison, West Java, to deliver his defense.

Accompanied by his attorney O.C Kaligis, the defendant Abdul Latif asked the panel of judges to give time to prepare a defense.