Indonesian 'Sultan' of Manpower Ministry Sentenced to 6 Years for Bribery

A Jakarta court has sentenced Irvian Bobby Mahendro, nicknamed the 'Sultan' of the Ministry of Manpower, to six years in prison for bribery. The court found him guilty of accepting illegal non-technical payments from Occupational Safety and Health Service Companies (PJK3).

Presiding Judge Nur Sari Baktiana stated that Mahendro must also pay a fine of 200 million Indonesian rupiah, with a subsidiary of 90 days imprisonment. Additionally, he was ordered to pay restitution amounting to over 36 billion Indonesian rupiah, with a further three-year prison sentence if the amount is not settled.

However, the panel of judges ruled that Mahendro and four other defendants in the case were not proven to have received gratification. The judges determined that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors did not present valid and corroborating evidence to support the gratification charges. The court noted that the prosecution's claim of gratification relied solely on bank statements without supporting evidence.

Previously, prosecutors had sought a six-year prison sentence for Mahendro, also demanding a fine and restitution of over 60 billion Indonesian rupiah. In a related case, former Vice Minister of Manpower, Immanuel Ebenezer, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.