2 Defendants Of COVID-19 Fund Corruption Sentenced To 1.5 Years In Prison At The Ambon District Court

The Ambon Corruption Court judges lightly sentenced two defendants to corruption in COVID-19 funds in 2021 at the Aru Islands Regency Food Security Service. (16/8) (ANTARA/daniel)

AMBON - The panel of judges at the Ambon Corruption Court sentenced Celebrity Retob and Djemmy Harianto to a light sentence of 1 year and 6 months in prison, respectively, at the Aru Islands Regency Food Security Service, Maluku.

"Declaring that the two defendants were proven to have violated Article 3 paragraph (1) of Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code as a subsidiary indictment," said Chairman of the Ambon Corruption Court. Wilson Shriver reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 16.

In its decision, the panel of judges stated that the two defendants were not proven to have enjoyed the COVID-19 budget at the Aru Islands Regency Food Security Office for handling communities affected by COVID-19 which cost the state finances Rp292.7 million.

However, the state financial loss was enjoyed by the defendant Maryam Golan (in a separate BAP) as the provider of goods in the form of foodstuffs for people affected by COVID-19.

Then the state budget has also been deposited by the defendant Mariam Golam to the Other Penitipan Account (RPL) of the Ambon District Court Office.

The defendant Clemens Retob who is a Commitment Making Officer (PPK) and the defendant Djemmy Harianto as the former Head of the Food Security Office of the Aru Islands Regency as well as the Budget User Authority in the project was sentenced to pay a fine of Rp. 50 million, subsidiary to one month in prison.

The aggravating thing for the two defendants was punished for not supporting the government's program in eradicating corruption, collusion, and nepotism. While the mitigating thing is that the defendant is polite, has never been convicted and has family responsibilities, and does not enjoy state financial losses in this case.

The judge's decision was lighter than the demands of the Public Prosecutor of the Aru Islands Kejari, Karel Benito, who demanded that the two defendants be sentenced to four years in prison, a fine of Rp. 200 million, a subsidiary of one year in prison and compensation of Rp. 292.7 million.

However, the cash deposit of Rp. 292.7 million was deposited into the Ambon District Court RPL on April 4, 2023.

The defendant Maryam is a third party as the owner of the Qalifa Shop in Dobo, the capital of the Aru Islands Regency, who is suspected of being involved with two other defendants in the case.

Based on this decision, both the Public Prosecutor and the two defendants together with their legal adviser Marnex Salmon expressed their thoughts so that the judge gave them seven days to submit their stance.