Former Indonesian Agriculture Minister Sentenced to 10 Years for Corruption
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Loading... - Genji Cheng
- 12 Jul 2024
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Indonesia's anti-graft court has sentenced former agriculture minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo to 10 years in prison for corruption-related extortion, abuse of power, and bribery involving ministry contracts with private vendors. This ruling marks Limpo as the sixth member of President Joko Widodo's Cabinet to be imprisoned for corruption, casting a shadow over Widodo's efforts to clean up government operations in the final months of his administration.
The Verdict and Sentence
Court Ruling
The court in Jakarta found Limpo guilty of abusing his power to enrich himself and other officials. In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, he was ordered to pay a 300 million rupiah ($18,500) fine. If the fine is not paid, he will face an additional four months of imprisonment.
Presiding Judge Rianto Adam Pontoh stated, "The defendant has legally and convincingly been proven guilty of corruption. He wasn’t a good example as a public official; what he has done is counter to the government’s efforts to fight corruption and enriched himself by corruption."
Arrest and Denial
Limpo was arrested last October by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Despite the charges, he has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Trial Revelations
Testimonies and Evidence
During the trial, several ministry officials testified that secretariats, directorates general, and agencies within the ministry were required to allocate 20% of their budgets to Limpo. Those who refused were threatened with job loss. Vendors and suppliers were also coerced into setting aside money to meet Limpo's demands.
The trial revealed that Limpo used the illicit funds for luxury cars, gifts, apartments, private jets, family parties, religious observances, and pilgrimages. Some of the bribes were also used to disburse humanitarian aid for disaster victims and support his Nasdem political party.
Prosecutors' Accusations
Prosecutors sought a 12-year imprisonment sentence for Limpo, stating that he accepted a total of 44.7 billion rupiah ($2.7 million) between January 2020 and October 2023. They accused Limpo of ordering his subordinates, Kasdi Subagyono and Muhammad Hatta, to collect the illicit money. Both subordinates received four-year prison sentences in separate cases.
Limpo's Defense
Claims of Political Persecution
During the trial, Limpo claimed he was a victim of political persecution and that his subordinates slandered him out of fear of being replaced. He argued that efforts to manipulate public opinion had unfairly depicted him as greedy.
Limpo stated, "Since the start of the investigation into this case, there have been efforts to manipulate public opinion using wild and misleading accusations to depict me as a greedy person. I never received any information about their objection to any of my orders. If they think it’s wrong, they should consult and discuss with me first."
Following the verdict, both Limpo and the prosecutors indicated that they are considering an appeal.
Corruption in Indonesia
Limpo's sentencing underscores the endemic corruption in Indonesia. The country’s anti-graft commission often faces attacks from lawmakers attempting to curtail its powers. Widodo's administration has been marred by multiple corruption cases, despite his pledge to run a clean government. Indonesia ranked 115th out of 180 nations in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International.
Previous Cases
Limpo is the second politician from the Nasdem Party to face prosecution in recent years. Johnny G. Plate, a former communication minister, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2023 for corruption while overseeing the construction of mobile phone transmission towers in remote areas.
Future Prospects
Like Widodo, President-elect Prabowo Subianto has vowed to combat corruption after taking office in October. The success of these efforts remains to be seen as Indonesia continues to grapple with pervasive corruption challenges.
