Patrialis Akbar (C) speaks to the media at an anti-graft agency office in Jakarta, January 27, 2017, after he was detained for allegedly receiving bribe related to a request for judicial review on livestock law. (Photo: AFP/Wawan Kurniawan)
Prosecutors demanded 12.5 years of imprisonment and Rp 500 million fine for former Constitutional Court ChiefJustice Patrialis Akbar on Monday. He was also ordered to pay Rp 4 million in fine or serve an additional year in prison.
According to the prosecutors, Patrialis who was also the former law and human rights minister has been proven to receive bribe from meat importer Basuki Hariman and his secretary, Ng Fenny related to a request for judicial review on Law No. 41/2014 on husbandry and animal health.
"The defendant Patrialis Akbar has been legally and convincingly proven to commit corruption all together," said anti-graft agency's Prosecutor Lie Putra Setiawan at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Central Jakarta, on Monday.
Patrialis's action is also considered notsupportive to government's goal in eradicating corruption and has undermined public confidence on the Constitutional Court.
Moreover, the prosecutors assessed Patrialis to have been convoluted in giving testimony in the trial, but on the other hand, he was seen polite and still has dependent family.
The prosecutors charged Patrialis for violating Article 12 C juncto Article 18 of Law No. 20/2001 on corruption eradication juncto Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. On these charges, Patrialis filed an appeal or defense memorandum in next week's hearing.
"We'll obviously file a defense both from me and legal counsel," said Patrialis.
Meanwhile, the prosecutors demanded eight years of imprisonment and Rp 250 million fine to middleman Kamaludin. He was also ordered to pay US$40 thousand in fine as or face a further nine months in jail
The national anti-graft agency on January 26, named Patrialis Akbar suspect after interrogation following his arrest in a sting operation a day earlier. He was later found to receive the money of US$ 10 thousand and Rp 4,000,043,100 for his own interest.
(brl/red)
