T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday hoped that the sentencing of an adjutant to graft convict and former Riau governor Rusli Zainal to seven years in prison on Monday for perjury would deter other witnesses testifying under oath at corruption trials from giving false testimony.

'€œAll people testifying at graft trials have to be aware that any false testimony could bring serious legal consequences. The verdict is a strong warning for everyone testifying under oath at graft trials,'€ KPK spokesman Johan Budi said on Tuesday.

The KPK said that perjury was a grave crime because it could hamper ongoing investigations by law enforcement institutions.

'€œPerjury is a serious crime,'€ Johan said, adding that it was more dangerous than the crime of corruption itself.

The adjutant, identified as Said Faisal, was the first person convicted a perjury case, but the KPK is currently completing the dossier on other graft suspects '€” namely Palembang Mayor Romi Herton along with his wife Masyitoh '€” who have also been named suspects over perjury allegations.

Article 22 of the 2001 Corruption Law carries a maximum 12 years'€™ imprisonment for anyone who commits perjury at any trial. The maximum sentence, regulated under the Corruption Law, is heavier than that of a maximum of five years for bribing state officials.

Separately, KPK deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas said that the verdict set a good precedent amid the country'€™s efforts to eradicate rampant corruption.

'€œThe verdict is a sign that our judges are in high spirits about increasing efforts to eradicate corruption in the country,'€ Busyro said.

He added that the verdict should also be taken as a serious warning for lawyers intending to hamper investigations by pressing witnesses to give false testimony during investigations and trials.

The KPK named Said a suspect in February after KPK prosecutors found that he had given false testimony during the trial of Rusli, who in March was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in the Pelalawan forestry permit and Riau National Games (PON) graft cases.

In addition to the perjury charges, the KPK also named Said a suspect for collaborating with Rusli on accepting bribes in relation to the PON graft case.

On Monday, the Pekanbaru Corruption Court sentenced Said to seven years for both perjury and collaborating with Rusli on the PON corruption.

The panel of judges at the court also ordered Said to pay a Rp 350 million (US$30,104) fine, or serve an additional six months in jail if he failed to do so.

The sentence was lighter than the nine years demanded by KPK prosecutors.

The panel said that the trial had proven that Said had helped Rusli to accept Rp 500 million in bribes from construction company PT Adhi Karya, which won the PON project.

One of the reasons for the heavy sentence for Said was reportedly that he did not show any remorse for his wrongdoing during his trial.

The judges also said that Said was reprimanded many times during the trial of Rusli about the consequences of giving false testimony, but he ignored the warnings from judges and prosecutors. They added that Said gave false testimony in order to protect Rusli, his former boss.

Expert testimony during Said'€™s trial confirmed that a voice on a wiretapped conversation receiving a Rp 500 million bribe from Adhi Karya for Rusli was identical to that of Said. However, Said repeatedly denied that it was him talking in the conversation.

Responding to the judges'€™ verdict, the former adjutant said that he would make up his mind within seven days about whether to accept or appeal the verdict to the high court.