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Supreme Court reduces Idrus Marham's sentence to two years
The Jakarta Corruption Court had found Idrus guilty of receiving Rp 2.25 billion (US$159,688) worth of bribes from businessman Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo in return for the rights to develop the Riau-1 power plant and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment.
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Powerless: Golkar politician Idrus Marham leaves a hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court. The former social affairs minister was convicted of accepting a bribe of Rp 2.25 billion (US$159,506) in relation to the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Riau. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
T
he Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a cassation appeal filed by former Golkar Party secretary-general Idrus Marham, who had been convicted of accepting bribes in April, reducing his prison sentence to two years.
The Jakarta Corruption Court had found Idrus guilty of receiving Rp 2.25 billion (US$159,688) worth of bribes from businessman Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo in return for the rights to develop the Riau-1 power plant and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment. Idrus reportedly used the money to fund his failed bid to become the party's chairman.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors appealed the ruling because they considered the sentence to be too light. The Jakarta High Court sided with the KPK in July, imposing a heavier sentence of five years' imprisonment, the same sentence that had been sought by prosecutors in the initial trial.
Idrus appealed the ruling by petitioning the Supreme Court, which decided in his favor.
"In the ruling the Supreme Court granted [Idrus'] cassation petition and revoked the rulings of the Jakarta Corruption Court and the Jakarta High Court," Supreme Court spokesman Andi Samsan Nganro said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com. "Then the Supreme Court sentenced [Idrus] to two years' imprisonment with a fine of Rp 50 million, subsidiary to three months' confinement."
Andi said that the Court decided to reduce the sentence because the judges believed it was more appropriate to convict Idrus of abusing his power as then-acting Golkar chairman because his involvement in the case started when former Golkar lawmaker Eni Saragih brought the Riau-1 project to his attention after he replaced former Golkar chairman Setya Novanto. (kmt)
