Six Defendants in Alleged Baznas Enrekang Corruption Case Acquitted

Makassar, VIVA – Six defendants in the alleged criminal corruption case involving funds from the Baznas Enrekang chapter have been declared legally free after the Corruption Court panel at the Makassar District Court issued a not guilty verdict in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Friday.

The six defendants are former Baznas Enrekang Chairman Junwar, former Acting Chairman Syawal, and Kamaruddin, Baharuddin, Ilham Kadir, and Kadir Lesang, each former Deputy Chairman of Baznas Enrekang.

Presiding Judge Johnicol Richard Frans Sine stated in the verdict that the panel found the six defendants not proven to have committed the criminal act of corruption as charged by the Public Prosecutor (JPU).

“The defendants are declared not proven guilty in a lawful and convincing manner of committing the criminal act of corruption jointly, as charged in the primary and subsidiary indictments,” said Judge Johnicol through the decretal of the verdict.

In addition, the judges acquitted the defendants of all charges from the JPU and ordered their immediate release from detention upon the reading of the verdict yesterday.

“The defendants are acquitted from all charges by the public prosecutor. The defendants are ordered to be released from detention immediately after this verdict is pronounced,” he explained.

Regarding the verdict, the panel also restored the defendants’ rights in terms of ability, position, dignity, and honour. All costs in this case are to be borne by the state.

The judges’ consideration for issuing the acquittal verdict for the six defendants was due to the lack of fulfilment of the unlawful element in this case, including no evidence of malicious intent or ‘mens rea’ from the defendants. This is because the defendants were merely carrying out the management and distribution of zakat funds.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the defendants’ advisory team, Mahyuddin Jamal, appreciated the Makassar Corruption Court panel’s verdict, which assessed and decided this case carefully, clearly, objectively, and entirely based on the facts of the trial.

This verdict reflects the independence and integrity of the judiciary, which comprehensively evaluated every piece of evidence, witness statements, and expert opinions presented during the trial process. Despite the defendants having been detained for six months.