‘I Have Wives and Kids,’ Fathanah Cries for Freedom

The Jakarta Globe, October 29, 2013.


Graft and money-laundering suspect Ahmad Fathanah broke down and wept at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Monday as he asked judges to dismiss all charges against him — or at least hand down only a light sentence.

“The 17.5-year jail sentence that has been demanded makes my family — mainly my wives and children — feel shocked,” said Fathanah — an aide to the former Prosperous Justice Party president — his voice trembling voice as read out his 18-page statement.

Fathanah said that prosecutors had engaged in an assassination of his character that bordered on the abusive, and had painted him to look like a corrupter when he was, in fact, innocent of all charges.

“I felt tremendous moral and social punishment and what has been accused by the [Corruption Eradication Commission] KPK is not true,” he said, adding that the most difficult experience was to be away from his wives and children.

Fathanah is accused by prosecutors of receiving a Rp 1.3 billion ($117,000) bribe from beef-import company Indoguna Utama. The money was intended to be given to former PKS president Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq and formed part of the Rp 40 billion total to increase the PKS-controlled agriculture ministry’s beef-import quota by some 10,000 tons.

Fathanah is accused of laundering Rp 35 billion between Jan., 2011 to Jan., 2013.

“I hope the judges could free me of the charges,” Fathanah said. “Or at least hand down the lightest sentence.”

Fathanah said he was merely a friend of Luthfi — since 1986 — and that prosecutors had overestimated his involvement.

“I expect the judges to consider my defense,” he said. “I have wives and children.”

Fathanah’s third wife, dangdut singer Septy Sanustika, shed a tear from the visitors’ gallery.

“I can only pray and support him,” Septy said as quoted by Liputan6. “Hopefully he will get the best ruling.”



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...Fathanah is accused by prosecutors of receiving a Rp 1.3 billion ($117,000) bribe from beef-import.......

.....defense,” he said. “I have wives.......


BEEF en WIVES...... De beklaagde houdt het wel netjes bij vleeswaren...... Het zou helemaal ideaal voor hem geweest zijn, als het KALVERvlees en JONGE dames geweest waren.....

Enfin, als ie in de bak maar geen VLEES concurrenten achter zich moet dulden, want dan kan hij wel eens worst importeur worden en hopelijk kan ie dan nog wel zitten zonder zijn achterste te voelen.

   

The Jakarta Globe, November 4, 2013.


The Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Monday sentenced Ahmad Fathanah, an aide to former Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty on corruption charges.

“Defendant Fathanah was proven guilty of corruption, committed together with a state official by receiving grants and incentives from [Maria Elizabeth Liman] for Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq,” judge Joko Subagyo said as he read out the verdict.

The judges also ordered Ahmad to pay Rp 1 billion ($88,000) in fines, or serve an extra six months in prison for receiving Rp 1.3 billion in kickbacks from beef importer Indoguna Utama.

Maria Elizabeth Liman is the president director of Indoguna.

The sentence is lower than the 17.5 years sought by prosecutors. The judging panel said Ahmad was proven guilty only on the first charge of bribery — but was cleared of the money-laundering charge against him.

The 14-year sentence was, however, more punitive than the seven-and-a-half years sought for the bribery charge. Prosecutors earlier demanded 10 years for money laundering, as they accused him of laundering Rp 35 billion between Jan., 2011 to Jan., 2013.

The Rp 1.3 billion in bribery is said to be part of “commitment fees” totaling Rp 40 billion allegedly promised to Luthfi to use his influence at the PKS-controlled Ministry of Agriculture to allow a quota increase for Indonesia’s beef imports.

Luthfi, who resigned from his chairmanship at the PKS after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named him a suspect in the case in January, is being tried separately.



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