Indonesian Ex-Minister Gets 12-Year Jail for Covid Social Aid Graft

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Jakarta Corruption Court has sentenced former social affairs minister Juliari Batubara to 12 year’s imprisonment for committing corruption in the Covid-19 social assistance in 2020.

During the live-streaming of proceedings on Monday, August 23, judges said that Juliari has violated Article 12, letter (a) of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia (UU RI) No. 31/1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Act of Corruption as amended by Law (UU RI) No. 20/2001.

“The defendant Juliari P Batubara was found convincingly guilty of corruption which was supported by others continually as stated in the first alternative charges against him,” presiding judge Muhammad Damis said via the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) YouTube channel.

Also read: Indonesian Graft Agency Prosecutors Demand 11 Years in Jail for Ex-Minister

“The defendant was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and was also fined 500 million rupiahs ($35,000) or subsidiary to six months of imprisonment,” the judge said.

Besides, the court also ordered the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician to repay 14.5 billion rupiahs ($1 million) to compensate state losses, or his jail term will be added by another two years if he fails to return the stolen money. His right to run for public office for four years after serving his sentence was revoked.

Also read: Indonesian Minister Named as Suspect in Covid-19 Social Aid Graft

The sentence is a year longer than previously demanded by prosecuting officers on July 28. The prosecutors said that Juliari was proven to have received bribes of 32.4 billion rupiahs ($2.2 million) related to the Covid-19 social assistance.

In his recent defense statement on August 9, Juliari made a plea for an acquittal, saying that he never had any intention to commit corruption.

(Writer: Tatang Guritno | Editor: Bayu Galih)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/08/23/13441971/breaking-news-juliari-divonis-12-tahun-penjara-dalam-kasus-korupsi-bansos?page=all#page2.