Court sentences businesswoman Artalyta to 5 years in jail for bribery

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 07/29/2008 1:13 PM  |  National

The Corruption Court sentenced businesswoman Artalyta Suryani on Tuesday to five years in jail and Rp 250 million (US$27,250) in fines in the bribery case involving senior prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan.

Presiding judge Mansyurdin Chaniago said Artalyta Suryani, alias Ayin, was proven guilty of bribing prosecutor Urip $660,000 and thus violated article 5 of the 1999 Anti-Corruption Law.

Urip, who led an Attorney General's Office investigation into the alleged embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support funds (BLBI) involving tycoons Sjamsul Nursalim and Anthony Salim, is
also standing trial at the Corruption Court.

The panel of judges noted that Artalyta demanded information from Urip about the progress of the investigation against Sjamsul, and in return, she promised to provide Urip with a certain amount of
money.

Artalyta, according to the judges, also asked Urip to give the summons letter for Sjamsul to her, so that Sjamsul would avoid questioning at the Attorney General's Office (AGO).

Then, on March 2008, Artalyta handed over $660,000 to Urip. Both Urip and Artalyta were then arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Immediately after the arrests, Urip said the money came from his gemstone business. But later in his testimony during Artalyta's trial, he said the money was for his auto repair business.

The panel of judges rejected the argument that the money Artalyta gave Urip was a loan for his auto repair business.

"The money is clearly related to the BLBI investigation," judge Andi Bachtiar said.

The panel of judges then linked Artalyta's bribery case with the AGO's decision to stop the BLBI investigation against Sjamsul.

Artalyta and her lawyers did not respond directly to the verdict, saying they would rather think it over before making a response.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.