TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prosecutors demanded a total of 17.5 years imprisonment for Ahmad Fathanah for allegedly accepting Rp1.3 billion bribe and money laundering. Fathanah, the aide to former Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) president Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, is also demanded to pay a total fine of Rp1.5 billion.

"We ask the panel of judges to declare that the defendant is proven guilty," prosecutor Rini Triningsih read the indictment at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Monday, October 21.

For the bribery charge, prosecutors demanded the panel of judges to give Fathanah 7.5 years imprisonment and pay Rp500 million (US$44,000) in fines, or serve an additional six months in jail. For the money laundering charges, prosecutors recommended Fathanah to receive 10 years prison time and pay Rp1 billion in fines, or spend an extra year in prison.

Prosecutor Siswanto said that Fathanah, together with Luthfi, were in charge to take care of raising the beef import quota for meat importer PT Indoguna Utama. Both men allegedly received Rp 1.3 billion in bribes in exchange for lobbying officials from the Agriculture Ministry--including the minister, Suswono--to approve the additional quota.

Fathanah, prosecutors said, was proven to have spent some Rp38 billion of the bribe money throughout 2001-2013. Some of the things he bought include properties, cars and jewelries for both himself and other people. He was also proven to have received money from other people amounting to Rp 35.40 billion.

NUR ALFIYAH