Two defendants in the BUMDes Kerta Laba corruption case sentenced to two years' imprisonment

The panel of judges of the Denpasar Corruption Court (Tipikor) on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, convicted two defendants in the BUMDes Kerta Laba corruption case in Dawan Kaler Village, Klungkung: I Wayan Suaba and I Gede Suteja Winatha, each receiving two years’ imprisonment. ‘The panel sentenced the defendant I Wayan Suaba to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp 10 million, subsiding to 10 days’ imprisonment,’ the presiding judge said as he read the verdict. The judge also ordered Suaba to pay restitution of Rp 292 million; ‘If this is not paid within one month after the verdict becomes final, it shall be replaced by six months’ imprisonment,’ the judge added. Meanwhile, defendant I Gede Suteja Winatha was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp 10 million, subsiding to 10 days’ imprisonment. ‘Also ordered to pay restitution of Rp 310,789,500. If not paid within one month after the verdict becomes final, then it shall be replaced by six months’ imprisonment,’ the judge said. After the verdict was read, both defendants said they would think it over. The case stems from alleged misappropriation of BUMDes Kerta Laba funds for the 2014-2020 period. The two defendants were known as distributors of UDAKA, a bottled drinking water unit of the BUMDes. They are also related by family to former Perbekel (village head) of Dawan Kaler, I Kadek Sudarmawa, who was previously processed in the same case. The Klungkung State Prosecutor’s Office said the total state financial losses in the case reached Rp 1.726 billion based on an audit by the Klungkung Regency Regional Inspectorate. Prosecutors assessed that the two defendants were proven to have conspired to abuse their authority in the management of BUMDes to the detriment of state finances. In a prior pleidooi, the defendants sought acquittal, arguing they had no intent to commit corruption and that the matter involved civil debt rather than crime.