Prosecutors demand 10 years for Rudi
Haeril Halim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Wed,
April 09 2014, 9:30 AM
Former Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force
(SKKMigas) head Rudi Rubiandini seemingly took the demands of Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors for a 10-year sentence — for his
alleged corruption and money laundering activities — in his stride Tuesday.
“Our examination has found the defendant was guilty of
corruption and money laundering,” prosecutor Riyono told the panel of judges at
the Jakarta Corruption Court.
After the hearing, Rudi, his face lit up by a media-friendly
smile, spoke to reporters: “My legal team and I are preparing my defense
statement ready for the next session.” He said expected his defense statement
to convince the panel of judges he was worthy of leniency.
Prosecutors have accused him of violating the 1999
Corruption Law, by accepting US$2.42 million from a number of local and foreign
companies for allegedly rigging oil and gas tenders, as well as the 2010 Money
Laundering Law for using the dirty money for his own gain and that of alleged
middleman Deviardi, in addition to channeling cash to lawmakers supervising oil
and energy at the House of Representatives.
The charges carry a maximum 20-year sentence.
Prosecutors claimed that Rudi was involved in more than six
instances of illicit practices during his tenure from January to August, the
month he was allegedly caught in the act of accepting a $400,000 bribe.
Among the allegations include bribes amounting to S$200,000
and $900,000 in bribes from the president of Singapore-based oil trading firm
Kernel Oil, Widodo Ratanachaithong, through Deviardi, whom the KPK prosecutors
also demanded be sentenced five years for his affiliation to Rudi’s activities.
Prosecutors allege Rudi laundered the bribe money through cars,
homes and luxury watches.
Rudi is accused of instructing Deviardi to spend Rp 1.6
billion ($141,730) on a Volvo XC90; Rp 630 million on a Toyota Camry; and
$11,500 on a Rolex watch as birthday gifts for Rudi’s wife. He is also accused
of using the money to buy a house in Central Jakarta.
The prosecutors’ demand for Rudi was the lowest among his
contemporaries who are currently serving time behind bars.
Last year, KPK prosecutors demanded 18 years for former
national traffic police commander Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, who was later
sentenced to 10 years for the part he played in a simulator-procurement graft
case at the National Police; 18 years and 17.5 years for former Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS) chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq and his aide Ahmad Fathanah,
who were later sentenced to 16 years and 14 years respectively for a beef-graft
case at the Agriculture Ministry.
Money-laundering expert Yenti Garnasih deplored the lenient
demand, saying that Rudi might be handed down two-thirds of the demanded
sentence by the panel of judges, which he approximated to be around six years.
“Prosecutors should have
taken into account exacerbating factors such him being a respected professor
who allegedly committed corruption. When the alleged crime took place, he was
still a state-owned Bank Mandiri commissioner who received a high salary
[around Rp 80 million] per month,” she said adding that prosecutors should at
least demanded a harsh punishment.
opinion
Corruption is the act of
theft is very detrimental to the State, the actions of public officials,
politicians and civil servants, as well as other parties involved in the act of
senseless violence and abuse the public trust that authorizes them to gain
unilateral advantage. According to I strongly disagree with the officials who
commit acts of corruption, because such action could jeopardize the country
with the amount of corruption is getting worse every year. The law in this
country should be tightened, officials are not sufficiently punished with 8-18
years of corruption, officials who engage in corruption should be put to death
or sentenced to life so that there is no corruption.
