Gayus’ sentence increased to 8 years

Tax corruption convict Gayus H. Tambunan. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

The Jakarta High Court has decided to mete out a harsher punishment to former tax official Gayus H. Tambunan, by increasing his sentence from six years to eight years in prison.

Ahmad Sobari, the court’s spokesman, who was also one of five judges handling Gayus’ case, revealed on Thursday that the reason why the court raised the sentence was because the defendant had repeatedly committed illegal practices.

“In addition to that, it’s meant as a deterrent for other civil servants and to show people that what he did was very evil and caused huge losses in state revenues,” he said.

Gayus was found guilty of accepting bribes from several companies to reduce their tax payments, money laundering and bribing a warden at the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok.

He was sentenced to six years in prison by the Jakarta Corruption Court. He then filed an appeal with the Jakarta High Court.