Three judges arrested, detained over suspicion of bribery in high profile cases
Three judges arrested, detained over suspicion of bribery in high profile cases
Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has detained three judges suspected of accepting bribes during a high-profile case involving illegal exports of palm oil.
AGO’s director of investigations Abdul Qohar made this known on Monday, according by the Jakarta Globe newspaper.
The judges Agam Syarif Baharuddin, Ali Muhtarom, and Djuyamto were detained late Sunday on suspicion of accepting bribes in exchange for acquittal of companies Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group.
In March, the suspects ruled that the companies had been exporting crude palm oil without government permits, but they decided that their actions did not fall under the country’s criminal laws, the newspaper reported.
According to Qohar, after questioning seven witnesses, we gathered sufficient evidence to name the three judges as suspects.
”They are fully aware that the payments were intended to secure a favourable ruling.
”In 2024, the judges first received 4.5 billion Indonesia rupees (268,111 dollars) through former South Jakarta District Court Chief Muhammad Arif Nuryanta, and then another 18 billion Indonesian rupees in second transaction.
”After detainment of the judges, the total number of suspects in the case reached seven.”
Meanwhile on Sunday, prosecutors identified South Jakarta District Court clerk Wahyu Gunawan, defence attorneys Marcella Santoso and Ariyanto, as well as Nuryanta as suspects in the investigation.
Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group have been accused of violating a temporary ban on exports of crude palm oil.
The ban on Indonesia export of crude palm oil was introduced by former President Joko Widodo in 2022 due to a nationwide shortage of cooking oil.
The government had then said that the country lost 10.9 million dollars as a result of the illegal exports, as it had to subsidise cooking oil prices in the domestic market to compensate for the crisis.
Five people, including a well-known market analyst Lin Che Wei and a high-ranking official from the Trade Ministry were sentenced to between one and three years in prison in January 2023 as part of the illegal exports case.
Other convicted defendants include former Director-General of International Trade at the Trade Ministry, Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana and business executives Master Parulian Tumanggor, Stanley MA, and Pierre Togar Sitanggang.(RIA/NAN
News
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
The police in Lagos on Friday, charged two men before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling an 11- year-old girl.
The defendants are: Prince Tomnyie, 40, a businessman, who resides at Agege, and Micheal Adenuga, 24, a furniture maker, who resides at Atere Street in Lekki.
They are standing trial on charges of defilement, and had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that they committed the offence sometimes in December 2024, and September 2025, at Langbasa Ajah and Igbara Lekki, Lagos .
The prosecutor alleged that the victim’s father, had taken his daughter for medical check and it was discovered that the minor had been defiled.
The prosecution alleged that the victim had told her father that his friend, Tomnyie, defiled her sometimes ago.
Ademigbuji alleged that the victim also mentioned the second defendant’s name who lives in their neigbourhood.
The offence contravenes the provisons of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr L. A Owolabi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of of N600,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until March 5, for mention. (NAN)
News
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has insisted that bail is free, and called on the public to report any officer asking for money to release a suspect on bail.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Adeh spoke in reaction to public outcry that some police officers were demanding money to release suspects on bail in the territory.
She said the report of the erring officers would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that it was fraudulent to demand for money to release a suspect on bail.
Adeh blamed the yielding to such fraudulent demand on ignorance on the part of the victims who refused to stand on their rights.
“A similar case was reported where an officer demanded money to release a suspect on bail and when the matter was reported, we requested for evidence from the victim.
“The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account and actions are being taken on the issue.
“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct with evidence,” she said.
Adeh urged the public to always insist on their rights and refuse any form of payment to release a suspect on bail.(NAN)
News
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice.
The Seoul Central District Court found that the 65-year-old conservative, with the help of the presidential security service, had tried to prevent his own arrest and deleted multiple documents related to the investigation against him.
Yoon shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024, amid a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into a political crisis.
He justified the drastic measure as necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order and accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists with ties to China and North Korea, though he provided no evidence for these claims.
In a separate trial, prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Yoon on charges of incitement, with a verdict expected on February 19.
While the death penalty remains legally in force in South Korea, it has not been carried out for nearly 30 years.
Yoon’s actions previously alarmed international investors and led to withheld investments, damaging the reputation of South Korea as a political and economic model for the region.
Since last summer, South Korea has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon. (dpa/NAN)
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