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Wawan sentenced to five years in prison
A panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced businessman Tubagus Chaeri âWawanâ Wardana to five years in prison and Rp 150 million (US$12,505) at a court hearing session on Monday
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panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced businessman Tubagus Chaeri 'Wawan' Wardana to five years in prison and Rp 150 million (US$12,505) at a court hearing session on Monday. The verdict left open the possibility of Wawan spending an additional three months in jail instead of paying the fine.
Wawan, the younger brother of non-active Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, was convicted of bribing then Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar in connection with an election dispute case being tried at the court.
'Tubagus Chaeri Wardana has been proven guilty of carrying out corruption crimes as stated in the anti-corruption laws,' said presiding judge Matheus Samiadji in the trial session at the court in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.
He said Wawan was found guilty of paying Akil Rp 1 billion in bribes to issue a ruling in favor of regent and deputy regent candidate pair, Amir Hamzah and Kasmin Saelani, who were contesting the Lebak regency election
Amir-Kasmin asked the court to nullify a Lebak General Elections Commission (KPUD) decision that declared Iti Octavia Jayabaya and Ade Sumardi winners in the regency election. Allegedly using the lawyer Susi Tur Andayani as an intermediary, Akil initially requested Amir-Kasmin to pay Rp 3 billion for a ruling in his favor, an amount which exceeded what Amri could pay. Eventually, with Wawan's financial backing, Akil and Amir settled on Rp 1 billion.
Wawan was prepared to deliver the bribe money to Akil via Susi when Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors stepped in.
Hakim said Wawan were also found guilty of bribing Akil Rp 7.5 billion for an election dispute case in Banten that was won by candidate pair Atut-Rano Karno. The money was transferred to a bank account of a company that belonged to Akil's wife, CV Ratu Samagat.
The verdict was less severe than the one initially sought by KPK prosecutors, who recommended 10 years imprisonment and fines of Rp 250 million, with the option of spending an additional three months in prison instead of paying the fine.
The panel of judges considered that Susi played a bigger role in the corruption case.
Responding to the verdict, Wawan said he would need to time to consider his options.
'I will discuss it first with my family and my lawyer team,' said Wawan, who is also the husband of South Tangerang mayor Airin Rachmy Diany. (fss/ebf)
