The Corruption Court sentenced two former executives of PT. Bank Jabar (now called Bank Jabar Banten), Uce Karna Suganda and Abbas Suhari Somantri, to prison Monday for corruption from 2002-2005.
"The court declares that the defendants have been proven guilty of committing corruption and sentences them both to two years and six months in prison," the presiding judge, Tjokorda Rai Suamba, said.
According to the judges, both Uce, former operational director of the bank, and Abbas, former marketing director, have been proven guilty of enriching themselves or others by inflicting losses on the state.
They both were found guilty of accepting embezzled capital improvement funds from former president director of Bank Jabar, Umar Sjarifuddin, in connection with the transfer of funds between 31 branches of Bank Jabar.
Among the 31 branches of Bank Jabar are offices in several regencies of West Java, such as Cibinong, Bogor, Garut, Majalengka, as well as offices in several regencies in Banten such as Rangkasbitung, Pandeglang, Labuan and Cilegon.
According to the court, the state lost a total of Rp 51 billion (US$5,5808 million).
Uce was found guilty of accepting Rp 7.1 billion ($773,900) and Abbas of accepting Rp 5.4 billion ($588,600) from Umar Sjarifuddin, convicted of masterminding the corruption in a separate trial. They committed the offence between January 2002 and December 2005.
The court also demanded that Uce and Abbas be required to pay Rp 100 million each in restitution to the state, or serve an additional three months in prison.
"I accept this verdict sincerely," Uce said, adding that he will not appeal. He said he was sorry to his family and to the country.
Abbas also accepted the verdict without considering any appeal. He said that, "From the beginning I wanted to finish this problem quickly."
However the prosecutor stated that they would consider an appeal. "We will think about it first, your honor," a prosecutor said.
In a previous trial session, prosecutors requested that the court sentence the defendants to five years and six months in jail. (ipa)
