P

rosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday demanded a 13-year sentence for Industrial Relations Court ad-hoc judge Imas Dianasari at the Bandung Corruption Court in West Java for alleged bribery.

In the trial presided over by judge Singgih Budi Prakoso, prosecutors claimed the defendant had violated Law No. 31/1999 on Corruption.

Besides the sentence demand of 13 years, prosecutors also demanded a Rp 300 million (US$35,200) fine, or the option of serving another six months in prison.

“If the defendant fails to pay the fine, we will seize her assets. If she does not have enough assets, she will face another two years in jail. She will also pay the court expenses of Rp 10,000,” prosecutor Riyono said.

Riyono said prosecutors had demanded the stiff sentence on the grounds that Imas was a law enforcer who was trusted by the Industrial
Relations Court. They also said Imas had damaged the public’s trust in the legal system.

“Her misdeeds have tarnished the image of the Supreme Court, which is making strenuous efforts to eradicate corruption and bribery. The defendant has also provided contradictory statements and was not straightforward,” Riyono said.

The charges against Imas were related to the act of another defendant — Odih Juanda, manager of PT Onamba Indonesia, in a bribery case involving PT Onamba’s employees.

As reported earlier, Imas was indicted as a judge who had received bribes and intended to bribe a Supreme Court ad-hoc justice in connection with a case ruling involving PT Onamba.

Odih was charged with handing bribe money to a judge and clerk of the Industrial Relations Court and of conspiring, together with Imas, to bribe a Supreme Court ad-hoc judge.

Prosecutors indicted that Imas and court clerk Ike Wijayanto had received bribes to rule in favor of PT Onamba against its employees at the Bandung Industrial Relations Court in a trial on April 1.

At the trial, it was revealed that Imas had received Rp 352 million on three separate occasions from Odih Juanda in exchange for Imas influencing the Industrial Relations Court ruling. The bribe was related to a lawsuit filed by employees against their dismissal by PT Onamba. Imas had earlier received Rp 10 million to arrange the composition of the judges for the trial.

According to the prosecution, Imas received Rp 600,000 on three occasions. She also received a gift voucher worth Rp 4.3 million to stay at Hotel Mercure Convention Center in Ancol, Jakarta, in February this year.

Prosecutors also indicted Imas and Odih of bribing Arief Sudjito, an Industrial Relations Court ad-hoc judge at the Supreme Court, Rp 200 million.

The bribe was intended to ensure a trial victory for PT Onamba so the Supreme Court would strengthen the initial court’s ruling annulling the employees’ lawsuit. Arief Sujito was willing to arrange the appeal at the Supreme Court on the condition that he be paid for the service.

However, before he received the money, Imas and Odih were arrested by KPK officers on June 30 at La Ponyo Restaurant in Bandung.

Imas’ lawyer Alfies Sihombing said his team would present its defense in court.

“We refer to the available facts in court. The charges were just copied and pasted from the indictment. Furthermore, the defendant has not admitted to accepting the bribes,” he said.

In a separate trial, prosecutors demanded a four-and-a-half-year sentence for Odih Juanda and a fine of Rp 150 million or another three months in prison.

Both trials will resume on Jan. 3, 2012, when the court will hear the defense’s statement.