Customs Bribery Defendants Plead for Leniency, Claim They Paid Under Duress
Blueray boss John Field has expressed remorse for paying bribes related to goods imports to officials at the Ministry of Finance’s Customs and Excise office. John stated that the case has disrupted his company’s operations.
“Currently, only around 200 people remain to complete outstanding work, and most of them have been furloughed. More than 1,100 people have lost their jobs. This situation is an enormous, heavy burden for me. I am not only thinking of myself, but also of the thousands of lives that have depended on the company’s continuity,” John Field said while reading his personal plea at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (29/6/2026).
John claimed the bribery in this case was not of his own volition. He argued the payments occurred because he was under pressure.
“Your Honour, the facts revealed in court show that the payments at the heart of this case were never born of my free will. It all happened in a situation of constant pressure accompanied by demands for very large sums, which, if not met, I feared would disrupt or even halt my company’s business activities,” he said.
John stated he has been cooperative and requested a light sentence. “I implore Your Honour the Panel of Judges to be willing to deliver the fairest possible verdict, considering all the facts and circumstances revealed in court, and to impose the lightest possible sentence,” he said.
Defendant II, Deddy Kurniawan Sukolo, as Operational Manager of Blueray Cargo, admitted he was merely following orders from his superior. He claimed he never intended to break the law.
“I never had any intention of violating the law or obtaining personal gain from the actions in question in this case. I have never previously had any legal issues, but I acknowledge and regret the events that occurred,” Deddy said while reading his plea.
Defendant III, Andri, as head of the Blueray Cargo documents team, apologised for his actions. He also stated the bribery was not something he planned.
“I admit my mistake. I regret committing this act. Therefore, I apologise for my mistake. This event that befell me was never orchestrated or planned for my benefit,” Andri said.
In this case, prosecutors are convinced John, Deddy, and Andri are guilty of violating Article 605 paragraph 1 letter a of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article VII point 48 Article 605 letter a of Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Adjustments in conjunction with Article 20 letter c in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.
The full sentencing demands are as follows:
John Field: 3 years in prison and a fine of Rp 300 million, subsidiary 100 days in custody.
Deddy Kurniawan Sukolo: 2.5 years in prison and a fine of Rp 200 million, subsidiary 80 days in custody.
Andri: 2.5 years in prison and a fine of Rp 200 million, subsidiary 80 days in custody.