N. Sumatra Governor Gatot Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Bribery
Jakarta. The Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Monday (14/03) found suspended North Sumatra Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho and his wife Evy Susanti guilty of bribing three judges and a politician linked to an alleged embezzlement case inside his administration.
"Sentencing the first defendant Gatot Pujo Nugroho to three years in prison and the second defendant Evy Susanti to two years and six months in prison and a fine of Rp 150 million [$11,550] each," presiding judge Sinung Hermawan said as he read out the court's ruling.
The sentence was lower than what the prosecution had demanded which was four-and-a-half years in prison for Gatot and four years in prison for Evy. The court argued that Gatot and Evy had been cooperative, helping the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in unraveling the case.
Gatot and Evy were found guilty of channeling a total of $33,500 to three judges at the Medan State Administrative Court (PTUN) in exchange for providing a favorable ruling in a civil case against Gatot's treasurer over the alleged misuse of the province's social aid funds.
Gatot had also sought the help of Patrice Rio Capella, the former secretary general of the National Democratic Party (NasDem) to lobby Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo, also a NasDem politician, as his office began to probe the social aid case.
The case has also brought down senior lawyer Otto Cornelis Kaligis who received the heaviest sentence of five-and-a-half years in prison for his role in facilitating the bribes on behalf of his client.
The most lenient sentence was given to Patrice, who fully admitted to receiving Rp 200 million from Gatot to set up a meeting with Prasetyo, which never took place. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Gatot and Evy said they would not file an appeal but the governor still has an ongoing investigation against him for the embezzlement case, handled by the Attorney General's Office.
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