Former North Sumatra PUPR Head Topan Ginting Sentenced to 5 Years and 6 Months in Prison

Medan (ANTARA) - The panel of judges at the Medan Corruption Court at the Medan District Court on Wednesday sentenced Topan Obaja Putra Ginting (42), the former Head of the Public Works and Spatial Planning Department (PUPR) of North Sumatra Province, to five years and six months in prison.

The Chief Judge Mardison, in the verdict, stated that the defendant Topan Ginting was proven guilty of the criminal act of corruption involving the receipt of bribes and commitment fees for road infrastructure projects.

“Imposing a prison sentence on the defendant Topan Obaja Putra Ginting for five years and six months,” said Mardison at the Medan District Court.

In addition to the prison sentence, the panel of judges also imposed a fine of Rp200 million on Topan Ginting, with the provision that if not paid, it would be replaced with imprisonment for 80 days.

“The defendant is also burdened with paying restitution of Rp50 million, subsidiary to one year and six months in prison,” he said.

In the same case, the defendant Rasuli Efendi Siregar, as the Commitment Making Official (PPK) at the Gunung Tua UPTD, was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of Rp200 million, subsidiary to 80 days’ imprisonment.

The defendant Rasuli was also burdened with paying restitution of Rp250 million, which has been paid to the state.

The panel of judges stated aggravating factors: the actions of both defendants have influenced the level of public trust in the North Sumatra Provincial Government.

Additionally, the defendants’ actions hindered the infrastructure development of the North Sumatra Provincial Government, did not support the government in eradicating corruption, and specifically for Topan Ginting, he did not admit and did not regret his actions.

Meanwhile, mitigating factors: the defendants have never been imprisoned before, are the breadwinners of their families, and specifically for the defendant Rasuli, he frankly admitted his actions, regretted them, and has returned the state financial losses he obtained.

“For their actions, both defendants were proven to have violated Article 12 letter a of Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 20 of the Criminal Code,” said Mardison.

The verdict matches the demands of the Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Eko Wahyu Prayitno, who previously demanded five years and six months in prison for the defendant Topan Ginting and four years for Rasuli.

“The defendants are given seven days to state their position, whether to appeal or accept the verdict,” said Mardison.

The defendant Topan Ginting and the defendant Rasuli Efendi Siregar stated that they would consider the panel of judges’ decision.