Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Jakarta Corruption Court decided that Budi Said was guilty for his involvement in a corruption case linked to the manipulation of gold purchases from state-owned company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam). The ‘Crazy Rich Surabaya‘ has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and also imposed by a fine of Rp1 billion ($65,000), with an additional six months in jail if unpaid.
Presiding Judge Tony Irfan stated that Budi Said had been found guilty of acts that violated the law, causing financial losses to the state and enriching himself, others, or corporations.
“The court sentences the defendant to 15 years in prison and fines him Rp1 billion. If the fine is not paid, it will be replaced with six months of imprisonment,” Judge Irfan declared on Friday, December 27, according to Detik.
In addition to the prison sentence, Budi is required to pay restitution to the state, amounting to 58.135 kilograms of Antam gold, valued at approximately Rp35 billion ($2.3 million). Failure to meet this obligation within one month of the verdict’s finalization could result in the seizure of his assets. If the assets are insufficient, he will face an additional eight years in prison.
Court Verdict
The court found Budi guilty under several legal provisions, including Article 2(1) in conjunction with Article 18 of Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Law, Article 55(1) of the Criminal Code, and Article 64(1) of the Criminal Code. He was also charged under Article 3 of Law No. 8/2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering.
The sentence is slightly lighter than the prosecutors’ demand, which sought 16 years in prison, a fine of Rp1 billion, and restitution of Rp1.1 trillion ($71 million).
The court considered several factors in its decision. Aggravating factors included the significant financial harm caused to the state and the personal enrichment Budi gained through his actions. Mitigating factors included his previously clean legal record, cooperative behavior during court proceedings, and family responsibilities.
The Gold Corruption Scandal
According to report from Antara, Budi’s case centers on alleged corruption involving the sale and purchase of Antam gold, resulting in state financial losses of Rp1.07 trillion ($69 million). Prosecutors accused Budi of unlawfully acquiring an additional 58.13 kilograms of Antam gold, valued at Rp35 billion, without proper payment or documentation.
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Additionally, a Supreme Court ruling on June 29, 2022, required Antam to deliver 1,136 kilograms of gold owed to Budi, further complicating the legal disputes.
Budi was also charged with laundering the proceeds from the alleged corruption, including disguising transactions related to Antam gold and channeling funds into a business, CV Bahari Sentosa Alam.
The case has drawn significant public attention in Indonesia, highlighting issues of corruption and governance within the country’s state-owned enterprises.
(Raidi/Agung)
