Videographer Amsal Sitepu Acquitted

The Corruption Court panel at the Medan District Court has handed down an acquittal to videographer Amsal Christy Sitepu, deeming it unproven that he committed corruption in the village profile video production project in Karo Regency, North Sumatra. “We hand down an acquittal to Amsal Christy Sitepu as it is not proven that he committed a criminal act of corruption,” stated Chief Judge Yusafrihardi Girsang in the main courtroom at the Medan District Court on Wednesday. The panel opined in the verdict that the defendant’s actions were not proven, as per the public prosecutor’s (JPU) allegations from the Karo District Prosecutor’s Office, both primary and subsidiary charges. “We return the defendant’s rights and restore his dignity, reputation, and good name,” said Yusafrihardi. This verdict differs from the demand by JPU Wira Arizona, who previously sought a two-year prison sentence for the defendant Amsal. “We request that the panel impose a prison sentence of two years on the defendant Amsal Christy Sitepu,” stated JPU Wira Arizona during the previous hearing when reading the indictment. In addition to the custodial sentence, the Karo District Prosecutor’s Office also demanded that the defendant Amsal Sitepu pay a fine of Rp 50 million, with the provision that if not paid, it would be replaced with three months’ imprisonment. “The defendant is also demanded to pay restitution of Rp 202,161,980. If not paid within one month after the verdict gains legal force, the defendant’s assets will be seized and auctioned to cover the state losses,” said Wira. If insufficient, he continued, it would be replaced with one year’s imprisonment. Aggravating factors for the defendant’s actions include not admitting to the deed, being evasive during the trial, and not yet repaying the state financial losses. “Meanwhile, the mitigating factor is that the defendant has never been convicted,” he said. The Karo District Prosecutor’s Office considered the defendant’s actions to violate Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001. “The defendant’s actions are believed to have been proven to constitute the criminal act of corruption as per the subsidiary allegation,” said Wira.