Non-Active Riau Governor Abdul Wahid Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison

The panel of judges at the Corruption Crime Court (Tipikor) of the Pekanbaru District Court has sentenced suspended Riau Governor Abdul Wahid to two years in prison in a hearing held on Thursday (30/7).

Presiding Judge Delta Tamtama, in the verdict, stated that the defendant had been legally and convincingly proven to have committed corruption. In addition to the prison sentence, Abdul Wahid was fined Rp200 million. Should the fine go unpaid, it will be replaced by 80 days’ imprisonment.

The judge also ordered the defendant to pay Rp1.4 billion in compensation for state losses. “If the compensation is not paid, his assets will be seized and auctioned, or replaced with a prison sentence of one and a half years,” Judge Delta said.

The verdict is considerably lighter than the demand made by the public prosecutors of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Previously, the prosecutors had sought a sentence of eight years and six months’ imprisonment, a fine of Rp500 million and compensation of Rp1.45 billion.

In its considerations, the panel of judges was convinced that abuse of power and receipt of gratuities occurred whilst Abdul Wahid served as Governor of Riau. The trial revealed that the practice began with a meeting between the defendant, the head of the Riau Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing and Settlements Agency (PUPR-PKPP), M Arief Setiawan, and the heads of the Road and Bridge Technical Implementation Units (UPT).

The judges highlighted the defendant’s instructions at a 2025 meeting, in which he used the phrase “there is only one sun and one command”. The defendant was also said to have threatened job evaluations for those who did not comply with the directive.

Following that instruction, the secretary of the Riau PUPR-PKPP Agency, Ferry Yunanda, was directed to collect money from the UPT heads. The total collected reached Rp3.05 billion, of which Rp2.4 billion flowed to Abdul Wahid through his confidants, Dani M Nursalam and Marjani.

“The panel of judges is of the opinion that the element of gratification has been fulfilled, because the money was received in full by the defendant through his confidants,” the judge declared.

In response to the verdict, Abdul Wahid’s legal advisers said they would file an appeal. Meanwhile, the KPK prosecutors said they were still considering their next legal steps.