Karo District Prosecutor's Office Considers Appeal Against Acquittal of Amsal Sitepu

Medan (ANTARA) - The Karo District Prosecutor’s Office has stated that it is still considering its position on the acquittal verdict for the defendant Amsal Christy Sitepu in the case of alleged corruption in the village profile video production project in Karo Regency, North Sumatra.

Head of the Intelligence Section of the Karo District Prosecutor’s Office, Dona Martinus Sebayang, said that his side respects the decision of the panel of judges who issued an acquittal verdict against the defendant Amsal Sitepu.

“We respect the judges’ decision. Next, we are still stating our deliberation for seven days on that acquittal verdict and we will communicate with the leadership to determine the next legal efforts,” Dona said after the trial at the Medan District Court, North Sumatra, on Wednesday.

Previously, the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Karo District Prosecutor’s Office, Wira Arizona, demanded that the defendant Amsal Sitepu be sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of Rp50 million, subsidiary three months’ imprisonment.

The prosecutor also demanded that the defendant pay restitution for state losses amounting to Rp202.16 million. If not paid within one month after the verdict gains legal force, the defendant’s assets will be seized and auctioned.

“If it is insufficient, it will be replaced with one year of imprisonment,” he said.

In his demands, JPU Wira stated aggravating factors including that the defendant did not admit to his actions, was evasive during the trial, and has not yet returned the state losses.

Meanwhile, the mitigating factor is that the defendant has never been convicted.

However, the panel of judges at the Corruption Criminal Court at the Medan District Court decided that the defendant was not legally and convincingly proven to have committed a corruption offence.

Presiding Judge Yusafrihardi Girsang stated that the defendant’s actions were not proven, either in the primary or subsidiary indictment.

“An acquittal verdict is imposed on the defendant because it was not proven that he committed a corruption offence,” Yusafrihardi said at the trial at the Corruption Court at the Medan District Court.

“Restoring the defendant’s rights, dignity, reputation, and good name,” he added.