Commission III Appreciates Acquittal of Amsal Sitepu: Law Enforcement Hears Public Voice

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Commission III, Ahmad Sahroni, has expressed appreciation for the acquittal verdict handed down by the Medan District Court against videographer Amsal Christy Sitepu in the alleged corruption case concerning the production of village profile videos.

Sahroni stated that the acquittal demonstrates that law enforcement authorities (APH) have finally listened to public voices assessing irregularities in the case ensnaring Amsal over his creative work.

“I greatly appreciate the law enforcement authorities for ultimately hearing and accommodating public voices,” Sahroni told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He claimed to understand every perspective emerging in the polemic of the case.

“APH may not have been so aware at the beginning regarding the intricacies of the creative world, thus the enforcement applied was not fitting. However, after hearing voices and explanations from competent parties, their perspective has aligned,” he said.

According to him, discourse on the accuracy of law enforcement needs to be continuously pursued.

“And I hope that law enforcers in Indonesia can always open their hearts and minds to criticism and the voices of the people,” he added.

The Corruption Court Panel at the Medan District Court issued an acquittal verdict for Amsal Christy Sitepu, deeming it unproven that he committed corruption in the village profile video project in Karo Regency, North Sumatra.

“Imposing an acquittal verdict on Amsal Christy Sitepu because it is not proven that he committed a criminal act of corruption,” stated Chief Judge Yusafrihardi Girsang in the Cakra Utama courtroom at the Medan District Court on Wednesday.

The panel stated that Amsal Sitepu’s actions as charged by the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Karo District Prosecutor’s Office (Kejari), both primary and subsidiary charges, were not proven in the trial.

Therefore, the panel decided to restore Amsal Sitepu’s rights and rehabilitate his honour, dignity, and good name.

The verdict differs from the JPU Kejari Karo’s previous demand, which sought two years’ imprisonment for the defendant, a fine of Rp50 million subsidiary three months’ detention, and restitution of Rp202,161,980.