Appeal Rejected, Togar Situmorang's Sentence Increased to 3 Years Imprisonment

The Denpasar High Court (PT) has rejected the appeal filed by advocate Togar Situmorang in a fraud case. In its ruling, the panel of judges instead increased the defendant’s sentence from 2 years and 6 months to 3 years in prison.

The verdict was delivered during an appeal hearing led by Chief Judge Frida Ariyani on Wednesday (3/6/2026). In the verdict’s operative part, the judges stated that Togar Situmorang was proven guilty as charged by the public prosecutor.

“Declaring Togar legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing the criminal act as charged by the public prosecutor,” stated one part of the judges’ ruling. The panel of judges subsequently imposed a prison sentence of three years on the defendant. “Imposing a sentence on the defendant of three years imprisonment.”

In addition to increasing the sentence, the judges also ordered the detention of Togar Situmorang under city arrest for 30 days, effective from 3 June 2026 to 2 July 2026.

Responding to the decision, Togar Situmorang’s legal counsel, Rinto Maha, stated that they respect the court’s decision. However, he argued that the case involving his client should be viewed as a civil dispute arising from a professional relationship between an advocate and a client.

According to Rinto, the appellate judges ignored the principle of ‘ultimum remedium’, which dictates that criminal law should be used as a last resort in resolving disputes. “We believe this case is more appropriately resolved through civil mechanisms. The principle of ultimum remedium should have been one of the considerations in examining this case,” said Rinto.

Previously, the Denpasar District Court (PN) sentenced Togar Situmorang to 2.5 years in relation to alleged fraud causing losses to the complainant, Fanny Laurence Christie, amounting to approximately Rp1.81 billion.