Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has named South Jakarta District Court Chief Muhammad Arif Nuryanta a suspect in a Rp 60 billion bribery case linked to the controversial release (onstslag) verdict in a major palm oil corruption case.

As Deputy Chief of Central Jakarta District Court at the time, he allegedly received the bribe from lawyers Marcella Santoso and Aryanto through Wahyu Gunawan (WG), a court clerk.

The bribe aimed to influence judges to issue a non-punitive release for corporate defendants – PT Wilmar Group, PT Permata Hijau Group, and PT Musim Mas Group – despite them being found guilty.

Investigators are probing whether funds reached the presiding judges. Judge Djuyamto and his panel ruled the corporations committed the acts but deemed them non-criminal.

The AGO has begun summoning the judges for questioning.

Judge Muhammad Arif faces multiple anti-corruption charges under the anti-graft laws, with the AGO now pursuing a Supreme Court appeal against the release ruling.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)