Indonesia‘s Top Prosecutor Vows Appeal in Harvey Moeis Corruption Case
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has confirmed that it has filed an appeal against the verdict in the corruption case involving Harvey Moeis, a high-profile figure accused of embezzling state funds worth Rp 300 trillion in a timah commodity trading case.
Harli Siregar, the AGO’s Head of Public Information, stated on December 31, 2024, that the AGO is committed to pursuing legal action and has already filed an appeal with the court. "We have done our legal duty, we have appealed and it has been registered with the court," Harli said.
The AGO’s public prosecutor is currently focused on preparing the grounds for the appeal, using the court records as a basis, despite not yet having received a copy of the verdict. "We can also use the court’s decision as a reference for our arguments. We know that the original claim was for a 12-year sentence, but the verdict was for 6.5 years," Harli explained.
The AGO supports President Prabowo Subianto’s recent statement encouraging the appeal of light sentences in corruption cases. "We fully support the President’s statement. The sentence for Harvey Moeis is still very light compared to the original claim made by the public prosecutor," Harli added.
President Prabowo, while not directly naming the case, expressed his discontent with the lenient sentences given to corruptors during a Musrenbang event on December 30, 2024. He urged state officials to clean up their acts before the public loses trust in them. "I’m not blaming anyone, it’s our collective mistake. Let’s clean up. That’s why I said to the government officials, we should clean up ourselves before the public cleans us up," Prabowo said.
The President also demanded that judges impose fitting sentences, especially in corruption cases involving massive losses to the state. He further encouraged judges to appeal against light sentences. "Let’s all return to our principles of August 17, 1945," Prabowo added.
Prabowo also instructed Minister Agus Andrianto to ensure that convicts, particularly those involved in corruption, do not enjoy special privileges in prison.
Novandy Ananta contributed to this article.
