The Medan District Court has declared Democratic Party politician Ramadhan Pohan guilty of fraud and sentenced him to 15 months in prison.

The panel of judges found Pohan guilty of violating Article 378 of the Criminal Code on fraud.

“The defendant was proven to be guilty of committing fraud amounting to Rp 15.3 billion. We sentenced the defendant to one year and three months in prison,” presiding judge Erintuah Damanik said at the court on Friday.

The sentence was lighter than the penalty of three years' imprisonment sought be the prosecutors against the former lawmaker.

Pohan stood trial for fraud along with another defendant, Savita Linda. They were both reported by mother and son Rotua Hotnida Simanjuntak and Laurenz Hendry Hamonangan Sianipar for fraud totalling Rp 15.3 billion relating to money Pohan used to finance his political campaign. Backed by his party, he ran for mayor of Medan in the 2015 regional election.

The mother and son duo claimed that Pohan had promised to return the money with interest after the election. However, Pohan and his running mate lost in the election and he subsequently dodged Rotua and Laurenz when asked to return the money, leading them to take the case to the police.

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by Apriadi Gunawan

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