Indonesia’s former anti-graft chief convicted of ordering killing, sentenced to 18 years

Indonesia anti-graft official convicted in killing

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s former anti-graft chief was convicted of plotting the murder of a businessman and sentenced to 18 years in prison on Thursday, in a case that has undermined the country’s fight against corruption.

Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for Antasari Azhar, a former head of the independent Corruption Eradication Commission, but the judge cited Azhar’s politeness, dedication to the commission, and lack of a prior record in delivering the lighter sentence.

“The sentence is not intended as revenge, but to make the defendant aware of his mistakes,” Judge Herri Swantoro said in South Jakarta District Court. Azhar, 56, said he would appeal.

Swantoro found Azhar guilty of plotting the March 15 killing of Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, director of pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran. He was shot through the window of his car as he left a golf course on the outskirts of Jakarta.

“The defendant has been proven guilty of conspiring to plot a premeditated murder,” Swantoro said.

Prosecutors say Zulkarnaen was blackmailing Azhar over an alleged sexual encounter between Zulkarnaen’s wife and Azhar.

Azhar denied wrongdoing and described his arrest as a smear campaign in retaliation for his efforts to put high-ranking officials behind bars for corruption.

“I respect the verdict, but as a good citizen, give us a chance to seek justice,” he told the court after being sentenced. “We will appeal.”

Several dozen Azhar supporters erupted into a chorus of boos after the judge read the sentence, the conclusion of a four-month trial. Azhar showed little emotion, but hugged his two daughters before being led out of the courtroom.

The case attracted huge interest across the country, and the verdict was broadcast live on national television with the banner, “The end of the Antasari drama.” Several hundred police stood guard and around 200 journalists jammed the courthouse.

In his two years as head of the anti-graft commission — better known as the KPK — Azhar oversaw a series of high-profile probes into government officials and institutions, including the father-in-law of one of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s sons.

Anti-graft watchdogs regularly rank Indonesia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, and the case against Azhar came amid a high-level plot to undermine the KPK in which two of the group’s deputies were arrested on bogus charges of bribery and blackmail.

Azhar’s lawyer, Juniver Girsang, said the judges ignored evidence in the case.

“They said the verdict would only be based on evidence revealed at the hearing instead of what was contained in the police documents,” Girsang said outside court. “In fact, the verdict did not touch on the evidence.”

Five alleged hit men in Zulkarnaen’s killing have each received between 17 and 18 years’ imprisonment.

In separate trials Thursday, police Col. Williardi Wizar was convicted and sentenced to 12 years on charges of recruiting the hit men, and businessman Sigit Haryo Wibisono was sentenced to 15 years for allegedly financing the operation. Prosecutors had asked for the death penalty for both.

Jerry Hermawan Lo, another businessman who was accused of introducing the hit men to Wizar, received the lightest sentence of five years. Prosecutors had asked for 15 years.