Advocate Ariyanto 'Gadun FM' Faces 17-Year Prison Sentence in Judge Bribery Case
Public prosecutors have demanded that the panel of judges at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) of the Central Jakarta District Court sentence advocate Ariyanto Bakri to 17 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp600 million, with a subsidiary of 150 days’ confinement.
Based on the legal facts revealed during the trial, prosecutors determined that Ariyanto, commonly known as ‘Ary Gadun FM’, had been proven guilty of bribing judges and committing money laundering.
“[We demand the panel of judges] impose a prison sentence of 17 years on the defendant Ariyanto Bakri, reduced in full by the period the defendant has been in detention, with an order that the defendant remain detained at the detention centre,” said the prosecutor whilst reading out the criminal indictment at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday evening (18 February).
“We order the advocates’ organisation to permanently dismiss the defendant Ariyanto from his profession as an advocate,” the prosecutor added.
Furthermore, prosecutors demanded that Ariyanto be required to pay restitution of Rp21,602,138,412, to be paid within one month of the verdict obtaining permanent legal force. Should the amount go unpaid and his assets prove insufficient to cover the restitution, prosecutors requested that Ariyanto be sentenced to an additional eight years’ imprisonment.
Ariyanto was found to have violated Article 6 paragraph (1) letter (a) in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Eradication Act, in conjunction with Article 20 letter (a) of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code. He was also found to have violated Article 607 paragraph (1) letter (a) in conjunction with Article 20 letter (a) of the Criminal Code.
In formulating the sentence demand, prosecutors considered a number of aggravating and mitigating circumstances. The aggravating factors included that Ariyanto’s actions undermined the government’s programme for clean governance free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism. His conduct was said to have damaged public trust in the courts and tarnished the dignity of the legal profession.
Additionally, Ariyanto had enjoyed the proceeds of the bribery and refused to acknowledge his actions. Prosecutors noted there were no mitigating circumstances in Ariyanto’s case.
Prior to this, Ariyanto’s colleague, fellow advocate Marcella Santoso, faced an identical sentence demand of 17 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp600 million, with a subsidiary of 150 days’ confinement. Marcella was also subject to an additional penalty requiring payment of restitution amounting to Rp21,602,138,412, with a subsidiary of eight years’ imprisonment.
Ariyanto and Marcella are being prosecuted on charges of bribing the panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court who presided over the case involving Permata Hijau Group, Wilmar Group, and Musim Mas Group in a corruption case related to the export of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives during the January–April 2022 period, involving a sum of Rp40 billion.
The offences were committed jointly with several other defendants, namely Juanedi Saibih, also an advocate, and M. Syafei, acting as a representative of Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group. Marcella, Ariyanto, and M. Syafei are also charged with money laundering.