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Jakarta High Court Sentences Djoko Susilo to 18 Years in Prison.

Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo at his trial at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on April 30, 2013. ( JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jakarta High Court’s decision to hand down a heavier sentence to graft convict Djoko Susilo after his appeal on Thursday could be the beginning of a new dawn in Indonesia’s fight against corruption, as law enforcement institutions are seen to be getting tougher in their punishments of graft convicts.

The court on Wednesday ordered Djoko to serve 18 years in prison and refund the state Rp 32 billion ($2.62 million) for his involvement in the graft-ridden procurement of driving simulators.

“It seems the judges have started a movement in which graft convicts are given maximum punishment,” said Neta S. Pane, chairman of the police watchdog Indonesia Police Watch, as quoted by Metrotvnews.com.

“This is something the public must appreciate, so as to have a deterrent effect on corruptors.”

The decision to add eight years to his sentence was announced on Thursday on the court’s official website. Djoko, the National Police’s former traffic chief, had earlier this year been convicted and sentenced to 10 years for bribery in connection with the awarding of contracts to procure driving simulators for the traffic police.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said the court’s ruling was strong proof that Indonesia’s judicial system was getting tougher and that they could no longer be played with by corrupters.

“This … can be considered a gift for victims of corruption towards the end of 2013 and after International Anti-Corruption Day [on Dec. 9],” Bambang said.

Bambang also added that he hoped the tougher sentence for Djoko would be followed up with more firm decisions by other courts.

In addition to increasing his prison term and fines, the court has ordered to Djoko stripped of his political rights, preventing him from voting and running for public office in the future, a punishment that raised both support and debate among legislators.

“We are all supportive of having his sentence increased so that there will be a deterrent effect,” said House Commission III, overseeing legal affairs, chairman Nudirman Munir (a member of the Golkar Party) on Thursday.

“The decision on his political rights is up to the judges, every ruling by the court can be considered a violation of human rights, such as locking up a person behind bars. But it is regulated in the law and this gives the judges power to hand down such punishments,” he said.

House Commission III member Syarifuddin Suding, a member of the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), expressed confidence in the court’s judgement, saying the decision must have been based on thorough consideration by the judges.

“Their legal authority should be appreciated. Every law and their decisions must have been well thought out,” he said.

However, another member of the Commission III, Bambang Soesatyo (Golkar), claimed the court had gone too far in eliminating Djoko’s political rights.

“It is not right to deprive someone of their political rights, it’s beyond their authority. He should have only been physically punished,” he said.

In a report by Kompas.com, Jakarta High Court spokesperson Achmad Sobari said one of the biggest considerations taken into account by the judges was Djoko’s status as a law-enforcement officer and that his crime is seen as hurting the nation’s image.

“This nation will crumble and will lose its pride if its law-enforcement officers are no longer compliant to the law, the people’s economy will be badly damaged,” he said, as quoted by Kompas.com.

He also added that the sentence was handed down in order to give corruptors, whether they are members of law enforcement institutions or other government offices, a deterrent effect.

Djoko was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay Rp 500 million in fines on Sept. 3 by the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court for his role in the traffic simulator scandal, which cost the state Rp 121 billion in losses.

Both Djoko and the KPK filed appeals to the High Court over that initial verdict.

During the appeal, not attended by Djoko, the High Court also ordered the disgraced officer to pay Rp 32 billion to the state. Additionally, the court ordered that more of his assets, including a 377-square-meter house in Tanjung Barat, South Jakarta, and two Toyota Avanzas, be seized.

The High Court’s verdict is similar to what the prosecutors had sought at the Anti-Corruption Court.

This latest ruling follows a trend of heavier sentences being handed down by the nation’s judiciary when cases have gone to appeal.

On Nov. 21, the Supreme Court sentenced disgraced lawmaker Angelina Sondakh (Democratic Party) to an additional eight years, tripling her jail term and matching prosecutors’ initial demands following an appeal from the KPK.

Angelina, who was found guilty in January of rigging government contracts, was also ordered to pay back Rp 3.42 million on top of Rp 500 million in fines.

Additionally, the disgraced Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) head Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Dec. 9 by the Anti-Corruption Court for taking bribes to pressure the Agriculture Ministry for extra beef import quotas.

Luthfi was ordered to pay Rp 1 billion in fines or serve an extra one year in prison.

KPK investigations uncovered Rp 1.3 billion in bribes paid to Luthfi, a claim the Islamist party member denied, and charged him with money laundering as well as corruption.