Judicial Bribery Case: Former Palm Oil Executive Faces 15-Year Prison Demand
Former agribusiness and palm oil company executive M Syafei, the former Head of Social Licence at Wilmar Group, has been subjected to a prosecutorial demand of 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of Rp600 million, with a subsidiary penalty of 150 days' confinement.
Public prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office determined that Syafei was proven to have been involved in a case of bribing a panel of judges at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court (Tipikor), which was hearing a case involving Permata Hijau Group, PT Wilmar Group, and PT Musim Mas Group in connection with corruption in the export of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives during the period of January–April 2022, involving a sum of Rp40 billion.
"To impose a principal sentence on the defendant M Syafei in the form of imprisonment for 15 years, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in detention, with an order that the defendant remain in remand detention, and a fine of Rp600 million, with the provision that if the fine is not paid it shall be substituted with 150 days' imprisonment," the prosecutor stated whilst reading the criminal sentencing demand at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday evening, 18 February.
Prosecutors also demanded that Syafei receive an additional penalty in the form of an obligation to pay restitution of Rp9.3 billion, with the provision that if payment is not made within one month of the verdict obtaining permanent legal force, other assets may be seized and auctioned to cover the restitution amount.
Should Syafei not possess sufficient assets to pay the restitution, the amount shall be substituted with five years' imprisonment.
"Or if the convicted person pays a restitution amount less than the total restitution obligation, the amount paid shall be calculated against the duration of the additional imprisonment as a substitute for the restitution payment obligation," the prosecutor stated.
Syafei was found to have violated Article 6 paragraph 1 letter (a) in conjunction with Article 18 of the Anti-Corruption Law (UU Tipikor), in conjunction with Article 20 letter (c) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP), in conjunction with Article 11 paragraph 8, Annex 1 number 28 of Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Sentencing Adjustments, and Article 607 paragraph 1 letter (a) of the Criminal Code.
In their considerations, prosecutors assessed that Syafei's actions had undermined the ethical standards of the judicial profession, which require judges to act fairly, honestly, impartially, professionally, and with dignity.
Syafei, as the bribe-giver, had benefited from the proceeds of the bribery offence.
"Mitigating factors: the defendant has no prior convictions and conducted himself courteously during trial proceedings," the prosecutor noted.
The alleged bribery offence was committed by Syafei together with advocates Marcella Santoso, Ariyanto Bakri, and Junaedi Saibih. All three advocates have also undergone sentencing demand hearings by prosecutors.
Public prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office determined that Syafei was proven to have been involved in a case of bribing a panel of judges at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court (Tipikor), which was hearing a case involving Permata Hijau Group, PT Wilmar Group, and PT Musim Mas Group in connection with corruption in the export of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives during the period of January–April 2022, involving a sum of Rp40 billion.
"To impose a principal sentence on the defendant M Syafei in the form of imprisonment for 15 years, reduced by the time the defendant has spent in detention, with an order that the defendant remain in remand detention, and a fine of Rp600 million, with the provision that if the fine is not paid it shall be substituted with 150 days' imprisonment," the prosecutor stated whilst reading the criminal sentencing demand at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday evening, 18 February.
Prosecutors also demanded that Syafei receive an additional penalty in the form of an obligation to pay restitution of Rp9.3 billion, with the provision that if payment is not made within one month of the verdict obtaining permanent legal force, other assets may be seized and auctioned to cover the restitution amount.
Should Syafei not possess sufficient assets to pay the restitution, the amount shall be substituted with five years' imprisonment.
"Or if the convicted person pays a restitution amount less than the total restitution obligation, the amount paid shall be calculated against the duration of the additional imprisonment as a substitute for the restitution payment obligation," the prosecutor stated.
Syafei was found to have violated Article 6 paragraph 1 letter (a) in conjunction with Article 18 of the Anti-Corruption Law (UU Tipikor), in conjunction with Article 20 letter (c) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP), in conjunction with Article 11 paragraph 8, Annex 1 number 28 of Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Sentencing Adjustments, and Article 607 paragraph 1 letter (a) of the Criminal Code.
In their considerations, prosecutors assessed that Syafei's actions had undermined the ethical standards of the judicial profession, which require judges to act fairly, honestly, impartially, professionally, and with dignity.
Syafei, as the bribe-giver, had benefited from the proceeds of the bribery offence.
"Mitigating factors: the defendant has no prior convictions and conducted himself courteously during trial proceedings," the prosecutor noted.
The alleged bribery offence was committed by Syafei together with advocates Marcella Santoso, Ariyanto Bakri, and Junaedi Saibih. All three advocates have also undergone sentencing demand hearings by prosecutors.