Former Customs Intelligence Head Reprimanded by Judge for Repeatedly Saying 'Maybe' During Testimony

Corruption Court (Tipikor) presiding judge Brelly Yuniar Dien reprimanded former Head of Customs and Excise Intelligence, Sisprian Subiaksono, on Wednesday (10/6). The reprimand was issued because Sisprian frequently gave uncertain testimony using the word ‘maybe’. Sisprian appeared as a witness for defendant John Field, owner of PT Blueray, in connection with an alleged bribery case within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC). Sisprian is known to be a suspect in a similar case being handled by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). During the trial, Sisprian was pressed on the initiative for a meeting between Customs officials and a number of businesspeople categorised as High-Risk Importers (IBT) at the Hotel Borobudur in July last year. When the prosecutor asked whether the meeting plan was reported to the then-Director General of Customs, Jaka Budi Utama, Sisprian answered hesitantly. ‘I don’t know, it was possibly conveyed by the Director,’ said Sisprian. Hearing that answer, the presiding judge immediately reminded the witness not to provide speculative testimony. ‘Do not use the word ’maybe’, sir. In court, we cannot use the word ‘maybe’. What you testify to must be what you experienced, saw, and heard yourself,’ stressed chief judge Brelly. The judge then reminded Sisprian of the oath he took at the start of the trial. The judge emphasised that there are serious consequences for witnesses who provide false testimony, both legally and religiously. ‘Remember, you have sworn an oath. If you have faith, if you have religion, it forbids you from saying something that is untrue or lying. In the afterlife, you will go to hell for all eternity just because of this testimony alone,’ said the judge in the courtroom. In this case, John Field as the owner of PT Blueray Cargo, together with Import Documentation Team Head Andri (AND) and Operations Manager Dedy Kurniawan (DK), was charged with giving bribes to a number of officials within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise amounting to Rp63.1 billion. Besides Sisprian, this case has also implicated several other Customs officials as bribe recipients, including former Director of Enforcement and Investigation, Rizal, and Customs Intelligence Section Head, Orlando Hamonangan.