Prosecutors Demand Life Sentence for Former Constitutional Court Chief Akil Mochtar

Indonesian anti-graft officials flank former Constitutional Court chief Akil Mochtar in Jakarta on Oct. 4, 2013. (AFP Photo)

Jakarta. Prosecutors at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Monday demanded a life sentence for former Constitution Court Chief Justice Akil Mochtar, in what would amount to the harshest sentence for a corruptor in Indonesian history if he were found guilty of graft and money laundering.

“We want the  judges to hand down a life sentence and a Rp 10 billion [$846,095] fine,” prosecutor Pulung Rinandoro said, as quoted by news portal Detik.com.

Akil was charged with multiple counts of bribery and money laundering after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested him in October on allegations that he had rigged the results of regional election disputes.

Prosecutors accused him of taking bribes connected to as many as fifteen separate election disputes and of laundering Rp 161 billion between Oct. 2010 and Oct. 2013.

A harsh sentence would be justified by the damage Akil had done the the credibility of one of the nations highest courts, prosecutors said.

“The defendant has ruined public trust in the Constitutional Court, and it needs a long time to return,” Pulung said. “The public must still remember what the defendant said at the Constitutional Court on March 9, 2012. He said: ‘This is my idea — rather than death sentence, it’s better [to implement] a combination between impoverishment and cutting off one of the corruptor’s fingers.’”

After his arrest, Akil slapped a journalist who asked him if his stance on finger cutting still stood.

Akil dismissed the harsh sentencing demand as political showmanship.

“This kind of lips service is not necessary,” he said. “Just read the ruling. Why do I need to sit here for two to three hours while I’ve known the demand [already]. This is just an idea, so we won’t get tired to having to face this prosecutor demand drama like this.”

Prosecutors also demand that the court revoke Akil’s voting privileges — a punishment sometime handed down under Indonesian anti-corruption law.

By SP/Novianti Setuningsih on 06:40 pm Jun 16, 2014