Lawyer Junaedi Acquitted in Bribery and Obstruction of Justice Case Involving Judges

A panel of judges at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court has acquitted lawyer Junaedi of charges of bribery relating to payments to a judge who presided over the cases of Permata Hijau Group, PT Wilmar Group and PT Musim Mas Group in the corruption case concerning crude palm oil (CPO) exports and derivatives for January–April 2022, totalling Rp40 billion.

“Acquitting the Defendant from all charges brought by the Prosecution,” the presiding judge said on Tuesday night.

The panel also ruled that the Prosecution’s request for Junaedi to be dismissed from his post as a lecturer at Universitas Indonesia is void.

In its reasoning, the panel said the Prosecution had failed to prove a meeting of minds or shared intent. There was no convergence of intent between the defendant Junaedi Saibi and Ariyanto and Marcela Santoso.

Furthermore, there was no communication indicating a meeting of minds to hand over the money. There was no division of roles in carrying out the payment, and there was no joint agreement that could be identified unequivocally.

Earlier, Junaedi was charged with ten years’ imprisonment and a Rp600 million fine, subsiding to 150 days’ imprisonment, by the Prosecution in this indictment.

In its indictment, the Prosecution alleged that Junaedi, together with the director of a private television station, Tian Bahtiar, and M. Adhiya Muzzaki, created programmes or content intended to shape negative public opinion to discredit the handling of the case being pursued.

There were three cases said to be affected by the alleged obstruction: the corruption in the export of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives for January–April 2022; the corruption in the management of tin commodity trading within the IUP area at PT Timah Tbk from 2015–2022; and sugar import corruption.

Acquittal on the obstruction of justice charge

Additionally, Junaedi was acquitted of the charge of obstruction of investigation (obstruction of justice) in a case handled by the Attorney General’s Office.

“Declaring the defendant Junaidi Saibi above not proven beyond reasonable doubt to have committed the offence as charged in the single indictment,” said Judge Efendi.

The panel also ordered the restoration of Junaedi’s rights in terms of capacity, position, dignity and honour.

Earlier, in the obstruction indictment, Junaedi was charged with nine years’ imprisonment and a Rp600 million fine, subsiding 150 days’ imprisonment, as brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (JPU).

The alleged offences were carried out by Junaedi together with colleagues Marcella Santoso, Ariyanto Bakri, and M. Syafei, representing Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group and Musim Mas Group.