Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Central Jakarta corruption court sentenced former President Director of PT Agung Podomoro Land, Ariesman Widjaja, and his assistant, Trinanda Prihantoro, respectively to three years and 2.5 years in jail on Wednesday.

"Ariesman Widjaja was convincingly and legitimately proven guilty of jointly and sustainably committing a corruption crime and therefore was sentenced to three years in jail and fined Rp200 million or three more months in jail if he fails to pay it," Chief Judge Sumpeno said reading the verdict.

"Trinanda Prihantoro was proven convincingly and legitimately proven guilty of jointly and sustainably committing a corruption crime and therefore was sentenced to two years and six months in jail and fined Rp 150 million or three more months in jail if he fails to pay it," he added.

The sentences were lower than the prosecutors demand, which was four years in jail and a fine of Rp250 million for Ariesman and three years and six months in jail and a fine of Rp 200 million for Trinanda.

"Factor against them were their actions against the governments efforts in fighting corruption while those in favor are that they have been polite during sessions and have contributed to the Jakarta government," Judge Sumpeno said.

Trinanda was given a lighter sentence because he was only Ariesmans personal assistant.

Ariesman and Trinanda had given Rp 2 billion to Sanusi, a Jakarta legislative assembly member, in an effort to expedite the passage of the draft bylaw on Jakartas Strategic Northern Coast Spatial Plan (RTRKSP) and accommodate certain articles that Ariesman as President Director of PT Agung Podomoro Land (APL) and PT Muara Wisesa Samudra (MWS) wished to give him legality to carry out development on Reclamation island G.

The RTRKSP regulates spatial plan for reclaimed areas from the western to eastern parts of the coast of North Jakarta.

Seventeen islands would be established through reclamation in the area and PT MWS has a permit to carry out reclamation for one of the island which is island G.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama submitted the draft bylaw in December 2016 to the Jakarta legislative assembly.

A problem emerged after Ariesman wished to change an article in the draft bylaw for his favor.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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