T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Sunday that it was optimistic the Jakarta Corruption Court would hand down a 10-year prison sentence as demanded by prosecutors for suspended Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah.

KPK prosecutors have accused Atut of masterminding a scheme to bribe former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mohctar.

The court is expected to deliver its verdict on the country'€™s first female governor on Monday morning.

The KPK said that the panel of judges had '€œevery reason'€ to grant the KPK prosecutors'€™ sentence demand as the earlier conviction of Atut'€™s younger brother Tubagus Chaeri '€œWawan'€ Wardana had confirmed her role in a scheme to bribe Akil in relation to an election dispute being heard at the Constitutional Court. Akil was sentenced to life in prison in the case.

'€œOur expectation is the judges will approve the KPK prosecutors'€™ sentence demand,'€ KPK spokesman Johan Budi said on Sunday. He added that a heavy sentence for Atut could serve as a warning to all governors, especially those who had made attempts to build up political dynasties.

Atut'€™s political dynasty, which controls five of the eight regencies and cities in Banten, was considered one of the nation'€™s strongest.

Atut repeatedly insisted that her family'€™s virtual control of the province was merely '€œthe manifestation of the people'€™s mandate in Banten'€, as they were all elected through '€œfair elections'€.

It is believed that in order to retain power in Lebak, Banten, a regency currently under the control of the rival Jaya Baya dynasty, Atut backed losing candidate Amir Hamzah to challenge the victory of Iti Jaya Baya at the Constitutional Court.

The Akil-led court later annulled Iti'€™s victory and ordered a revote in Lebak, as a result of the Rp 1 billion (US$85,543) bribe paid by Wawan as instructed by Atut.

The bribery scheme was devised using Atut'€™s political links to Akil, a former member of the Golkar Party, in which Atut held an important position. The Amir candidacy was endorsed by Golkar.

Atut was the first female to be elected governor in a direct election in 2006. Prior to being elected governor, she was Banten deputy governor during the 2002-2007 period before finally taking over the helm of the administration after former governor Djoko Munandar was convicted of graft in 2005.

Should Atut be convicted on Monday, her deputy Rano Karno, an actor-turned politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), will automatically replace her as governor.

A conviction will also pave the way for the KPK to expedite its investigation into other alleged cases of graft surrounding Atut and her family members.

The KPK has uncovered two other graft cases in which Atut and Wawan are suspects.

In addition Wawan has also been charged with money laundering, related to vast sums allegedly amassed by rigging state projects in the Banten administration and in the administration of South Tangerang municipality of which his wife Airin Rachmi Diany is the mayor.

Atut is likely to face the same charges as Wawan as the KPK earlier said it was looking into the possibility of charging Atut with money laundering if it was later confirmed that her assets were acquired using illicit funds.