Palembang, KOTABARI.COM – Two former officials of the South Sumatra National Sports Committee (KONI), Suparman Roman and Achmad Tahir, have requested dismissal from the alleged corruption case involving grant funds. This revelation surfaced through the pleas read by both defendants’ legal teams before the Corruption Court in Palembang on Thursday (28/3/2024).
In their written pleas, the defendants expressed their disagreement with the charges and demands made by the public prosecutor, particularly regarding the 2-year 6-month prison sentence.
Therefore, the legal teams of both defendants have requested the panel of judges, led by Sahat Sianipar SH MH, to acquit them from the charges and demands made by the public prosecutor.
“The defendants have requested their dismissal, and we will respond to it in the next session when the written response from the public prosecutor (replica) is presented,” said Iskandar, one of the public prosecutors from the South Sumatra Prosecutor’s Office.
As previously reported, two corruption defendants in the activities of KONI South Sumatra, Suparman Roman, the former secretary of KONI South Sumatra, was prosecuted by the South Sumatra Prosecutor’s Office with a prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months.
Both were found guilty of corruption charges related to the grant funds of KONI South Sumatra in 2021.
For their actions, the defendants were found to have violated Article 3 Jo Article 18 of Law No. 20 of 2001 concerning amendments to Law No. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes Jo Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.
In addition to the principal sentence, the Corruption Court panel in Palembang, chaired by Sahat Sianipar, also imposed a fine of Rp 50 million each, with an additional threat of imprisonment for 3 months if the fine is not paid.
Specifically, defendant Suparman Roman was ordered to pay restitution of state losses amounting to Rp 312 million, which is the remaining restitution money that has not been paid by him.
In the consideration of the sentence demand, both defendants were found not to support the government’s program in combating corruption. However, as a mitigating factor, both have deposited a significant amount of money as compensation for state financial losses.
Furthermore, both defendants have shown courtesy and honesty throughout the trial process and have acknowledged their actions.
In the public prosecutor’s indictment, Suparman Roman, Achmad Thahir, and suspect Hendri Zainuddin were accused of enriching themselves or others, resulting in state losses of Rp 3.4 billion from the total grant funds of KONI South Sumatra in 2021 amounting to Rp 37 billion.