Two Defendants in Covid-19 Handwashing Station Procurement Corruption Case Acquitted

A panel of judges at the Corruption Court in the Banda Aceh District Court has acquitted two defendants in a corruption case involving the procurement of handwashing stations during the COVID-19 pandemic, ruling they were not proven guilty. The verdict was read out by the panel of judges chaired by M Jamil in a hearing in Banda Aceh on Monday. The two defendants, Wiki Noviandi and Iqbal, were partners in the procurement of handwashing stations for senior high schools and vocational schools managed by the Aceh Education Office in the 2020 fiscal year. Both defendants attended the hearing accompanied by their legal counsel. In its ruling, the panel of judges stated that the two defendants were not legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing the criminal act of corruption as charged by the public prosecutor. “The element of unlawful conduct charged against the two defendants was not fulfilled. Therefore, the two defendants are acquitted of all charges by the public prosecutor,” said M Jamil, the presiding judge. The panel of judges ordered the release of both defendants from city detention and the restoration of their rights, capabilities, standing, honour, and dignity. Following the verdict, Public Prosecutor Sutrisna from the Banda Aceh District Attorney’s Office stated he would file an appeal. Meanwhile, Junaidi, the lawyer for defendant Wiki Noviandi, said his side respected the panel of judges’ decision. “We respect the considerations of the panel of judges who decided our client was free from all charges. In our view, the panel of judges’ decision is very fundamental and impartial,” said Junaidi. The judges’ verdict did not align with the public prosecutor’s demands. In a previous hearing, Public Prosecutor Maimunah had demanded that defendants Wiki Noviandi and Iqbal each be sentenced to three years in prison. In addition to the prison sentence, the prosecutor also demanded both defendants pay a fine of Rp50 million. If the defendants failed to pay the fine, their assets could be seized and auctioned. Should the defendants lack sufficient assets to pay the compensation for state losses, a substitute imprisonment of 50 days each would be imposed. The prosecutor also demanded both defendants pay state loss compensation of Rp411 million, which would be offset against money handed over by the two defendants and other parties charged in the same case with separate case files totalling more than Rp6 billion.