At a hearing on Tuesday, the prosecutors demanded a five year sentence for Edhy, a Gerindra Party politician, for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for ensuring the issuance of a lobster larvae export permit. They also sought a Rp 400 million (US$27,520) fine and a restitution fee of Rp 9.7 billion and $77,000.

The prosecutors further demanded that the defendant’s right to run for public office be revoked for four years after completing the prison sentence.

Edhy accepted bribes, prosecutors allege, of Rp 3.4 billion and $100,000 to procure the larvae export permit. The money allegedly came from export firm PT Aero Citra Kargo shareholders Amri and Ahmad Bahtiar, who are suspected of working on behalf of other businesspeople in the industry.

Edhy and his wife Iis Rosyta Dewi allegedly used some of the money to go shopping in Honolulu, Hawaii, the United States, in November 2020. He was arrested by graft busters at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, soon after returning from the US.

Read also: Minister Edhy Prabowo attends first questioning as suspect in lobster larvae export case

Prosecutors asserted that Edhy had violated Article 12 of the 2001 Corruption Law, which carries a minimum sentence of four years in prison and a maximum of 20.

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