Sent down: Senior Manpower and Transmigration Ministry official Timas Ginting leaves the courtroom after having heard his verdict in the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday. Timas was sentenced to two years in jail after being found guilty of rigging a ministry bid for the procurement of solar power equipment in 2008. JP/Jerry AdigunaTimas Ginting, a senior official at the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Monday for rigging the bids on a solar power equipment contract.
Defying expectations, the verdict issued by the Jakarta Corruption Court did not mention former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin and his wife, Neneng Sri Wahyuni, in the Rp 8.9 billion (US$979,000) scandal.
“The defendant is proven to have committed an act of corruption,” presiding judge Herdy Agusten said.
Timas was also ordered to pay a Rp 50 million fine, Antara reported.
The sentence was lighter than the three years and Rp 100 million fine previously demanded by prosecutors.
Timas said he would discuss filing an appeal with his lawyers.
In their verdict, the panel of judges said that Timas was proven to have awarded the contract to benefit other parties who were not named, despite the statements of prosecutors in open court that Timas’ actions had benefited a company run by Nazaruddin.
Nazaruddin and Neneng were allegedly paid a Rp 2.7 billion kickback for the project, which caused the state Rp 2.9 billion in losses.
The judges also concluded that Timas abused his power by declaring that PT Alfindo Nuratama Perkasa won the contract when in fact the company lacked the technical ability to carry out the procurement of solar power equipment for Tulang Bawang, Ogan Ilir, Banyuasin and Ogan Komering Ulu Timur regencies in Sumatra.
Timas manipulated documents to declare the company that operated by Nazaruddin the winner of the procurement, according to the court.
Timas authorized a contract with PT Alfindo Nuratama Perkasa in 2008 to carry out the Rp 8.9 billion project, which the company sub-contracted to a third party for Rp 5.2 billion.
The panel of judges said that Timas had favored PT Alfindo by transferring a sum of money to a bank account belonging to Neneng.
“The defendant paid Rp 8 billion to PT Alfindo Nuratama Perkasa through a bank account that was controlled by Neneng Sri Wahyuni,” Herdy said.
Nazaruddin, while testifying at Timas’ trials, said that his wife was not connected to the case.
“My wife only accepted checks worth around Rp 2 billion from a company that had once borrowed money,” Nazaruddin said.
Nazaruddin also testified that Anas Urbaningrum (who later became Democratic Party chairman), played a greater role in his company PT Anugrah Nusantara, which was used as a proxy to win the bid and then later sub-contracted it to PT Alfindo Nuratama Perkasa, which was also controlled by Nazaruddin.
Anas has claimed that he was unaware of the procurement of solar power equipment in 2008.
“I told investigators I knew nothing about the project. I only learned of it through the media,” Anas said.
The case took place in 2008 when Timas is said to have abused his authority by approving the hire of two companies to supervise the power plant project.
KPU commissioner nominees:
1. Arief Budiman, member of the East Java’s provincial general election commission.
2. Ari Darmastuti, political science professor
3. Enny Nurbaningsih, state administrative law professor
4. Evie Ariadne Shinta Dewi, political communications professor
5. Ferry Kurnia Rizkiyansyah, head of West Java’s provincial general election commission
6. Hadar Navis Gumay, analyst and activist at CETRO
7. Hasyim Asy’ari, state administrative law professor
8. Husni Kamil Manik, member West Sumatra’s provincial general election commission
9. Ida Budhiati, head of Central Java’s provincial general election commission
10. Juri Ardiantoro, head of Jakarta’s provincial general election commission
11. Mohammad Adhy Syahputra Aman, researcher and election activist
12. Mohammad Najib, member of Yogyakarta’s provincial general election commission
13. Sigit pamungkas, political science professor
14. Zainal abidin, member of Aceh’s independent election committee
Bawaslu member nominees:
1. Daniel Zuchron, election activist
2. Endang Wihdatiningtyas, former member of Yogyakarta’s provincial election monitoring body
3. Luky Djuniardi Djani, anti-corruption activist
4. Muhammad, political science professor
5. Nasrullah, Banten’s provincial general election commission
6. Nelson Simanjuntak, Bawaslu staff
7. Pramono Ubaid Tantowi, Bawaslu staff
8. Razaki Persada, Riau Island’s provincial general election commission
9. Refly Harun, researcher and activist
10. Sunny Ummul Firdaus, state administrative law professor
