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KPK seeks life sentence for arrogant Akil
Fifty-three-year-old Akil Mochtar could spend the rest of his life behind bars if the Jakarta Corruption Court meets the demand made by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors who are seeking such punishment for the disgraced former Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice for his role in corruption and money laundering offenses
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Life as he knows it: Former Constitutional Court chief Akil Mochtar (center) shows a copy of a Kompas newspaper carrying an article on a possible life sentence for him, during his trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday. Akil was angry at the media for publishing news of his sentence before judgment. Prosecutors demanded a life sentence on Monday for Akil and a fine of Rp 10 billion for accepting bribes while working as chief justice.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) (center) shows a copy of a Kompas newspaper carrying an article on a possible life sentence for him, during his trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday. Akil was angry at the media for publishing news of his sentence before judgment. Prosecutors demanded a life sentence on Monday for Akil and a fine of Rp 10 billion for accepting bribes while working as chief justice.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
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ifty-three-year-old Akil Mochtar could spend the rest of his life behind bars if the Jakarta Corruption Court meets the demand made by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors who are seeking such punishment for the disgraced former Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice for his role in corruption and money laundering offenses.
This marks the first time KPK prosecutors have demanded a life sentence for a defendant facing graft and money laundering charges.
KPK prosecutors also demanded the panel of judges to order Akil to pay Rp 10 billion in restitution.
'Our thorough examination of witness testimonies and primary evidence during the trial have proven the defendant guilty of corruption and money laundering,' prosecutor Pulung Rinandoro said while reading his 2,000-page sentence demand on Monday.
Akil was arrested in his official residence in October last year accepting bribes in relation to the local election disputes of Gunung Mas regency in Central Kalimantan.
Later the KPK found that Akil had also accepted bribes in relation to eight other local election disputes.
Akil allegedly collected Rp 57 billion in bribes from 10 local election disputes, of which he attached a price tag upward of Rp 500 million to Rp 20 billion.
He also laundered a total of Rp 180 billion ' Rp 160 billion during his term at the court and Rp 20 billion when he was serving as a member of the House of Representatives representing the Golkar Party.
Life as he knows it: Former Constitutional Court chief Akil Mochtar (center) shows a copy of a Kompas newspaper carrying an article on a possible life sentence for him, during his trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday. Akil was angry at the media for publishing news of his sentence before judgment. Prosecutors demanded a life sentence on Monday for Akil and a fine of Rp 10 billion for accepting bribes while working as chief justice.(JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
KPK prosecutors said there were no mitigating factors they could consider when formulating the sentence demand as he had besmirched the good image of the country's highest judiciary institution.
'It is no easy task to restore public trust in the Constitutional Court, the last institution people look to for justice. During the trial he also did not show any sign of remorse. There's nothing that could convince us to give him a lighter sentence,' Pulung said.
KPK prosecutors also wanted the judges to strip Akil of his political right to run for public office.
Responding to the prosecutors' demands, Akil said he was not surprised as he had already learned of the KPK's intentions from the press.
He then lambasted the KPK's leaders for speaking publicly about the life sentence demand, urging the antigraft body to set up an ethics council to investigate what he called a breach of ethics.
In an effort to turn the tables on the KPK, Akil accused KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto of trying to gain favor from him while running in the race for the antigraft body's chairmanship.
'He asked my help to arrange a meeting with House lawmakers. I paid for their dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Jakarta at the time,' Akil said.
He also accused Bambang, who was a former lawyer, to have consulted with him regarding the West Waringin local election dispute being tried at the court, but did not give any details on if Bambang had served as a lawyer of one of candidates in the local election dispute.
'I was in the same car with him from the Constitutional Court building to Pasar Minggu [in South Jakarta]. He talked about the West Waringin municipal election dispute. You can confirm that with him,' Akil said.
Contacted separately, Bambang denied Akil's accusation. 'I've never committed any actions that violated the law. It's also untrue that Akil paid for my dinner,' Bambang explained.
Outside the courtroom, Akil snapped at reporters when asked about his earlier statement where he said he was ready to face the death sentence.
