Three Judges Who Accepted Bribes to Acquit Ronald Tannur Sentenced to 9 to 12 Years in Prison

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Two judges who are defendants in the bribery case concerning the acquittal of Gregorius Ronald Tannur, namely Erintuah Damanik and Mangapul, have been sentenced to 9 years in prison. Another judge who is also a defendant in the same case, Heru Hanindyo, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The three inactive judges of the Surabaya District Court were found to have committed corruption offenses by accepting bribes and gratuities amounting to IDR 1.12 billion and 308,000 Singapore dollars, or approximately IDR 3.67 billion. While serving as judges, they acquitted Ronald Tannur in the case of the assault that resulted in the death of Dini Sera Afrianti, Ronald Tannur's girlfriend.

The demands against the three defendants were read alternately by public prosecutor Bagus Kusuma Wardhana and colleagues at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Tuesday (22/4/2025). The hearing was presided over by Chief Judge Teguh Santoso, accompanied by two panel judges, Toni Irfan and Mardiantos.

During the hearing, the prosecutor read the legal analysis of the three defendants simultaneously. Subsequently, the prosecutor directly read the demands for each of the defendants.

Regarding the three defendants, the prosecutor requested that the panel of judges declare all three guilty of the crime of corruption by accepting bribes, as stated in the first alternative indictment of Article 6 Paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.

The three defendants were also found to have received gratification as charged cumulatively under Article 12 Letter c in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31/1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law No. 20/2001.

Regarding Erintuah Damanik and Mangapul, the prosecutor requested the panel of judges to impose a sentence of 9 years in prison and a fine of IDR 750 million, with a subsidiary of 6 months in detention. For Heru Hanindyo, the panel of judges was requested to impose a sentence of 12 years in prison and a fine of IDR 750 million, with a subsidiary of 6 months in detention.

In the view of the prosecutor, there are several factors that aggravate the defendant. Among them, Erintuah Damanik and Mangapul are considered not to have supported the government's program aimed at maintaining a clean state free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism. The actions of both defendants are also deemed to have undermined public trust, particularly in the judicial institution.

In terms of mitigating factors, the defendants Erintuah Damanik and Mangapul are considered to have responsibilities as heads of their families. They also demonstrated cooperation by acknowledging their actions and providing statements that could support the evidence in another case involving Heru Hanindyo, Mangapul, Lisa Rachmat, Zarof Ricar, and Meirizka Widjaja.

Lisa is the legal representative of Ronald Tannur in assisting him to be freed from punishment. Meanwhile, Zarof is a former official at the Supreme Court who handled the bribery to release Ronald Tannur from punishment. On the other hand, Meirizka is the mother of Ronald Tannur who provided a bribe to free her son from punishment.

Another mitigating consideration is that the defendant Erintuah has shown good faith by returning the amount of 115,000 Singapore dollars received from Lisa Rachmat, while Mangapul returned 36,000 Singapore dollars. Both have also never been convicted.

There are several factors that aggravate the defendant. Among them, Erintuah Damanik and Mangapul are considered to have not supported the government's program aimed at maintaining a clean state free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism. The actions of both defendants are also deemed to have undermined public trust, particularly in the judicial institution.

For the defendant Heru Hanindyo, several aggravating considerations include his actions not supporting the government's program aimed at maintaining a clean and corruption-free state. His actions have also undermined public trust, particularly in the judicial institution, and the defendant has not been cooperative and does not acknowledge his actions. Meanwhile, the only mitigating factor for Heru is that he has never been previously convicted.

In a legal analysis, the prosecutor assessed that the three judges who examined, adjudicated, and imposed a sentence in the case of Ronald Tannur had received cash gifts.

Erintuah Damanik, Mangapul, and Heru Hanindyo were found to have received cash amounting to Rp 1 billion and 308 Singapore dollars from lawyer Lisa Rachmat for the handling of the criminal case of Gregorius Ronald Tannur. The three judges were proven to have collectively and individually played their respective roles in delivering the acquittal verdict.

The case began when Meirizka Widjaja, the mother of Ronald Tannur, requested lawyer Lisa Rachmat to represent her child. Lisa then asked Meirizka to prepare a sum of money for the handling of her child's case.

Before the case of Ronald Tannur was transferred to the Surabaya District Court, Lisa Rachmat met with Zarof Ricar, a former official of the Supreme Court who is suspected of being a case broker. Lisa sought Zarof's assistance in finding a judge at the Surabaya District Court who would be willing to issue an acquittal in the case involving the child of a member of the DPR.

Between January and March 2024, or prior to the appointment of the panel of judges for the criminal case of Gregorius Ronald Tanur, Lisa Rachmat met with Erintuah Damanik. She also met several times with Mangapul at the Gunawangsa Tidar Apartment in Surabaya. These meetings were held in order for her client's criminal case, which would be transferred to the Surabaya District Court, to be decided in favor of acquittal.

To Erintuah Damanik, Lisa also conveyed that she had met with Heru Hanindyo and Mangapul, who will be members of the panel of judges in the case of Ronald Tannur. However, at that time, the panel of judges assigned to handle the case of Ronald Tannur had not yet been established.

The Deputy Chair of the Surabaya District Court has recently appointed the panel of judges in the criminal case of Gregorius Ronald Tannur, Number 454/Pid.B/2024/PN SBY, on March 5, 2024. The Surabaya District Court appointed Erintuah Damanik as the presiding judge, along with Mangapul and Heru Hanindyo as associate judges, who will adjudicate the case of Ronald Tannur.

During the trial process of the criminal case against Gregorius Ronald Tannur at the Surabaya District Court, the three defendants, namely Erintuah Damanik, Mangapul, and Heru Hanindyo, as the panel of judges examining and deciding the criminal case against Gregorius Ronald Tannur, received a total of 1 billion rupiah and 308,000 Singapore dollars in cash.

The disbursement of money by Lisa Rachmat and Meirizka was carried out in stages. In early June 2024, the panel of judges presiding over the case of Ronald Tannur received cash amounting to 140,000 Singapore dollars. This amount was then distributed, with each receiving as follows: Erintuah Damanik 38,000 Singapore dollars, Mangapul 36,000 Singapore dollars; Heru Hanindyo 36,000 Singapore dollars; and the remaining 30,000 Singapore dollars was kept by Erintuah.

Erintuah Damanik also received a sum of 48,000 Singapore dollars from Lisa Rachmat at the end of June 2024. Additionally, Heru Hanindyo received cash in Indonesian rupiah amounting to Rp 1 billion and Rp 120 million from Meirizka and Lisa Rachmat in July 2024.

Not only that, the prosecutor also assessed that the three defendants and their advisors could not prove that the cash, both in rupiah and foreign currency, seized at their residences, originated from legitimate income as judges or state officials. Furthermore, the defendants had never reported any gratuities to the KPK. All three were also deemed to have never reported their wealth in the form of the seized cash in the State Officials Wealth Report (LHKPN).

Thus, the three defendants were also found to have received gratification as charged cumulatively under Article 12 Letter c in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001.

After the indictment was read by the public prosecutor, Chief Judge Teguh Santoso announced that the defense hearing would be held on Thursday, April 25, 2025. The defendants may prepare their own defense or fully entrust it to their legal counsel.