TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Corruption Eradication Commission or KPK will soon put Syahrul Yasin Limpo or SYL behind bars after the Supreme Court rejected the cassation of the former Minister of Agriculture.

"With this decision, the case is legally binding, so SYL will serve his prison sentence and pay restitution as an additional punishment according to the judge's decision," said KPK spokesperson Tessa Mahardhika Sugiarto in her official statement on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Tessa said that the KPK appreciates the decision of the cassation bench in the alleged extortion case within the Ministry of Agriculture. "The KPK also expresses its appreciation to those who have provided support, data, and information, so that the handling of this case can be done effectively," said Tessa.

Tessa continued, the KPK hopes that corrective measures can be taken immediately to prevent such acts of corruption from happening again.

Previously, the Supreme Court rejected the cassation appeal of former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) in a corruption case within the Ministry of Agriculture from 2020 to 2023. SYL's sentence remained at 12 years in prison, as per the appeal decision.

"Reject the appeal. Reject the cassation of the defendant, with a modification regarding the restitution sentence imposed on the defendant," excerpt from the decision of cassation number 1081 K/PID.SUS/2025 quoted from the official website of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta, Friday, February 28, 2025.

Although the cassation appeal of SYL was rejected, the cassation bench decided to make modifications regarding the wording of the restitution penalty, so that it reads as follows: "Sentencing the defendant to pay Restitution in the amount of Rp44,269,777,204.00 plus 30,000 US dollars, reduced by the amount of money seized in this case which is subsequently declared confiscated for the state, in addition to a 5-year prison sentence".

The cassation decision was made on Friday, February 28, 2025 by Chief Justice Yohanes Priyana, accompanied by two members, Arizon Mega Jaya and Noor Edi Yono, as well as Setia Sri Mariana as the acting clerk. "The case has been decided, and is currently in the process of being minuted by the bench," according to the case status statement.

At the appellate level, the Jakarta High Court increased SYL's sentence to 12 years in prison, a fine of Rp500 million, substitute imprisonment of four months, as well as restitution of Rp44,269,777,204 plus 30,000 US dollars, with a subsidiary of 5 years in prison.

Prior to that, the panel of judges at the Corruption Crime Court at the Central Jakarta District Court sentenced SYL to 10 years in prison, a fine of Rp300 million, substitute imprisonment of four months, restitution of Rp14.14 billion plus 30,000 US dollars, with a subsidiary of 2 years in prison.

The first-instance court's decision was lighter than the demand of the public prosecutor of the KPK, which was a 12-year prison sentence, a fine of Rp500 million, substitute imprisonment of 6 months, as well as restitution of Rp44.27 billion and 30,000 US dollars, reduced by the amount of money that had been seized and confiscated.

In this case, SYL was charged with extortion or receiving gratuities totaling Rp44.5 billion within the Ministry of Agriculture from 2020 to 2023.

The extortion was carried out together with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture in the 2021-2023 period, Kasdi Subagyono, as well as the Director of Agricultural Machinery at the Ministry of Agriculture in 2023, Muhammad Hatta. Both of them coordinated the collection of money from the first echelon officials and their subordinates to meet the personal and familial needs of SYL.

Editor’s Choice: Former Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo Files Cassation Against Appeal Ruling

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News