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rosecutors at the Bandung Corruption Court have demanded a 15-year prison term and Rp 750 million (US$79,500) fine for PT Onamba Indonesia president director Shiokawa Toshio for allegedly bribing industrial relations court judge Imas Dianasari and clerk Ike Wijayanto

“The defendant jointly gave or promised something to Imas, whom he knew had the authority to decide on the industrial affairs case faced by PT Onamba Indonesia,” Ali Fikri, a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor, said on Thursday.

Shiokawa, 60, as PT Onamba Indonesia president director, and human resources manager Odih Juanda, have been accused of bribing Imas to rule in the company’s favor in a labor dispute between PT Onamba Indonesia and its former employees.

According to Ali, Shiokawa, through Odih, gave Rp 352 million to Imas, including a Rp 4.3 million two-night stay at Hotel Mercure Convention Center in Ancol, Jakarta. He also allegedly gave Rp 10 million to Ike to arrange which judges would hear the case.

Another Rp 10 million was reportedly given to Ike to fix the appeal at the Supreme Court, Ali said.

According to the indictment, Shiokawa constantly received reports from Odih about Imas’ efforts on their behalf to win the lawsuit filed by workers against PT Onamba Indonesia.

PT Onamba Indonesia won at the district court but the former workers appealed the ruling. The KPK arrested Imas and Odih at La Ponyo restaurant in Bandung on June 30, 2011, when the appeal was in process.

During the arrest, KPK officers confiscated Rp 200 million in cash, which was reportedly to be handed over to ad hoc judge Arief Soedjito at the Supreme Court.

Ali said that Shiokawa had violated Article 6 of the Corruption Law by bribing the judge, and Article 5 of the same law for bribing a state official.

“He also violated Article 13 by providing a gift or promise to civil servants given their authority, rank and position,” said Ali.

Luhut M Pangaribuan, Shiokawa’s attorney, immediately objected, saying that the indictment did not elaborate on the act of bribery by Shiokawa and Odih.

“Their joint acts have not been described in detail. He never contacted Imas,” said Luhut.

Meanwhile, in Medan, Fatimah Habibie, the wife of suspended North Sumatra governor Syamsul Arifin, was questioned as a witness in a Rp 13 billion graft case at the Medan Council Secretariat. Investigators found irregularities in the secretariat’s budget in 2011 totaling more than Rp 15 billion, while the Development Finance Comptroller recorded irregularities of around Rp 13 billion.

Kombes Sadono Budi Nugroho, the director of special crimes at the North Sumatra Police, said the questions revolved around Fatimah’s signature on a number of receipts.

“She confirmed that she had signed five receipts regarding expenses at the secretariat,” Sadono said.

“We have checked that the expenses are in line with the budget report, so there’s nothing wrong with it,” he added, indicating that Fatimah may not be involved in the case.

A secretariat clerk, Aminuddin, has been declared a suspect in the case, but the police say more suspects would be named.

Sadono said the police would also question Sutias Handayani, the wife of interim governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho, since she had also signed some receipts.

Apriadi Gunawan contributed to this article from Medan.