Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors have demanded that 10 years’ imprisonment be handed down to former youth and sports minister Imam Nahrawi for his alleged involvement in a bribery case pertaining to a grant for the Indonesian Sports Council (KONI).
Prosecutors claim Imam accepted Rp 11.5 billion (US$840,280) and an additional Rp 8.64 billion from several ministry and KONI officials.
The KPK has also demanded that the bench order Imam to pay a Rp 500 million fine and Rp 19.1 billion in restitution.
“[We also demand] the judge revoke [Imam’s] right to run for public office for five years after serving his sentence,” prosecutor Ronald Worotikan read the demand during a hearing on Friday.
During his term as sports minister from 2014 to 2019, Imam allegedly accepted bribes to speed up the approval of a grant proposed by KONI for supervising several athletic events in 2018, including the 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games.
The bribe was reportedly given through Imam’s personal assistant, Miftahul Ulum, who is standing trial in a separate case. Prosecutors demanded nine years’ imprisonment for Miftahul during a hearing on June 4.
“Among the incriminating factors is that the defendant’s actions have made it harder for Indonesian athletes to develop and achieve more. They are expected to lift the nation’s reputation in sports,” prosecutors said, adding that Imam had been uncooperative and dishonest during the trial.
Imam denied his involvement in the case, telling the bench he would file a defense plea during the next hearing, slated for June 19.
Apart from Imam and Miftahul, the KPK also named five other suspects in the case: former KONI secretary-general Ending Fuad Hamidy, KONI treasurer Johnny E. Awuy and ministry officials Mulyana, Adhi Purnomo and Eko Triyanto. The court has convicted them in the case.
Separately, the Attorney General’s Office is opening an investigation into alleged corruption at KONI.
Retired badminton gold medalist Taufik Hidayat was also implicated in the case, in which he admitted to playing a role as an intermediary by delivering the illicit funds to Miftahul in 2018. He further claimed that corrupt practices were prevalent in the ministry.
