Prosecutors Appeal Acquittal of Eight Bankers in Sritex Case

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Attorney General’s public prosecutors (JPU) have filed a cassation appeal against the acquittal of eight bank officials in the alleged corruption case concerning credit provision to PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex), resulting in state losses of around Rp1.3 trillion.

“As of yesterday, 11 May, the JPU team has lodged the cassation against that acquittal ruling,” stated the Head of the Legal Information Centre (Kapuspenkum) of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He explained that the JPU could file the cassation because the case is still being handled under the old Criminal Code of Procedure (KUHAP).

Meanwhile, data indicates that under the new KUHAP, acquittals cannot be appealed by the JPU.

“This case was tried and referred under the old KUHAP, and the panel’s considerations also stated that it remains under the old KUHAP,” he said.

Previously, Iwan Setiawan Lukminto was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, and Iwan Kurniawan Lukminto to 12 years’ imprisonment. These sentences were lighter than the JPU’s demand of 16 years.

“The legal advisors for Iwan Lukminto and associates also filed an appeal, and the prosecutors did the same that day regarding the Sritex case,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Corruption Court (Tipikor) panel in Semarang, Central Java, handed down acquittals to eight bankers in the Sritex case.

The bankers from the Bank BJB cluster who were acquitted include former President Director of Bank BJB Yuddy Renaldi, Senior Executive Vice President of BJB Business Beny Riswandi, and Head of the Corporate and Commercial Division of BJB Dicky Syahbandinata.

From the Bank DKI cluster, they are former Director of Technology and Operations of Bank DKI Priagung Suprapto and Director of SME Credit doubling as Director of Finance of Bank DKI Babay Farid Wazdi.

Meanwhile, for former President Director of Bank DKI Zainuddin Mappa, the court imposed a six-year prison sentence due to the receipt of US$50,000 in the Sritex credit disbursement process at the bank.

In the considerations for the acquittal ruling, the court stated that no evidence was found that the eight bankers had abused their authority or positions in deciding the credit application for PT Sritex.

Furthermore, no subjective fault or malicious intent was found, either in the form of deliberate action or negligence.