Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) member Achsanul Qosasi (centre) is escorted out of the Attorney General's Office headquarters on Nov. 3, 2023, after investigators arrested him. - Photo: Antara File
JAKARTA: The Jakarta Corruption Court has sentenced former Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) member Achsanul Qosasi to 2.5 years behind bars.
Achsanul allegedly received bribes during an audit for a 4G base transceiver station (BTS) infrastructure project conducted in 2021.
He was found to have received US$2.6 million from PT Multimedia Berdikari Sejahtera director Windi Purnama.
However, he returned the bribe, which played a mitigating role in this sentence, according to presiding judge Fahzal Hendri.
The money was from PT Multimedia Berdikari Sejahtera president director Galumbang Menak Simanjuntak, based on direction from Telecommunication and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI) president director Anang Achmad Latif.
The bribe was given so that the audit of the 4G BTS project conducted in 2021 would get an unqualified opinion result from the BPK.
"The defendant has returned the entire amount of money he received illegally, which amounts to $2.64 million, equal to Rp 40 billion," Fahzal said while reading the verdict in Jakarta on Thursday, as quoted by Kompas.
The judge also took into account Achsanul's respectful demeanor during the proceedings, his lack of prior involvement in legal disputes and his cooperation.
In addition to imprisonment, Achsanul was fined Rp250 million ($15,172) or a four-month prison term.
Meanwhile, Achsanul's accomplice Sadikin Rusli was also sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and a Rp 150 million fine.
Sadikin acted as the middleman in the corruption case.
"Sadikin Rusli is sentenced to two years and six months in prison and a fine of Rp150 million or three-months’ imprisonment," Fahzal said, as quoted by the Antara news agency.
The panel of judges also ruled that the time Sadikin had already spent in detention would be deducted from his total prison term. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
