TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ahmad Fathanah, beef import graft defendant, burst into tears when reading his defense on today's court. He was previously sentenced 17.5 years of imprisonment by the prosecutors of Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK).
"I expect the court to release me or impose me with the least sentence," said Ahmad Fathanah. He also mentioned that the prosecutors have made several mistakes during the trial.
Fathanah said that he should be released from the first charge, reasoning that he was not a civil servant or a state administrator. He then mentioned that he should also be released from money laundering allegation, given that the court had previously provided two different reports on the number of the graft.
Lastly, he stated that the allegation was based on other convict's case. "I have nothing to do with Wa Ode (Nurhayati), whose case has been decided long before me," he said. Furthermore, Fathanah said that the prosecutors enlisted article 7 of UNCAC ratification for the purpose of linking him with Luthfi Hasan over trading influence crime.
In the court, Fathanah mentioned that the media has unilaterally cornered him and influenced public opinion. Therefore, he expected that his rights as a citizen to be protected as well.
MAYA NAWANGWULAN
