JAKARTA. Noted lawyer Otto Cornelis Kaligis has been sentenced to five years and six months after he was found guilty at the Jakarta Corruption Court of bribing a clerk and three judges at the Medan State Administrative Court (PTUN Medan).

“Otto Cornelis Kaligis is found guilty of committing corruption. He is sentenced to five years and six months and must pay a fine of Rp 300 million (US$21,400),” said presiding judge Sumpeno on Thursday. The sentence is lighter than the 10 years and Rp 500 million fine demanded by prosecuters.

According to Sumpeno, Kaligis violated article 6, paragraph 1a of Law No. 31/2999 amended under Law No 20/2001 on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and article 11, paragraph 1.1 of the Criminal Code, relating to bribery.

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Tribunnew.com reported that Kaligis had previously been accused of bribing, through his subordinate in his law firm, Judge Tripeni Irianto Putro S$5,000 and US$15,000; Judge Germawan Ginting and Amir Fauzi $5,000 each; and a court clerk $2,000.

The case began when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested the three judges and the clerk at the PTUN Medan for allegedly receiving bribes from Gerry Baskara, a lawyer from OC Kaligis’ law firm.

The bribery case related to a lawsuit filed by North Sumatra provincial administration finance bureau head Ahmad Fuad Lubis. The lawsuit challenged the Attorney General’s Office’s (AGO) effort to question Ahmad on the alleged misappropriation of lower regional assistance (BDB) and social assistance (Bansos) funds at the provincial administration.

Suspended North Sumatra governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho and his wife, Evi Susanti, have been named suspects in the same case.