Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Prosecutors at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday demanded that senior prosecutor Cirus Sinaga be sentenced to six years in prison for obstruction of justice in his handling of the case against Gayus H. Tambunan, a disgraced former tax official who said he bribed law enforcers to escape justice.

"The defendant [Cirus] has been found guilty of violating the Law on Corruption by obstructing the investigation and the prosecution of Gayus' case at the Tangerang District Court," prosecutor Nasril Naib said on Thursday.

"Therefore, we demand that the court sentence the defendant to six years in prison and order him to pay Rp 150 million [US$16,950] in fines to the state or serve an additional three months in prison."

Cirus made headlines last year when Gayus, who is serving a prison sentence of his own and on trial for multiple other charges, said he paid Cirus a $50,000 bribe to drop the graft charges against him.

Gayus also said he bribed other law enforcers, including police officers Comr. Arafat Enanie and Adj. Comr. Sri Sumartini, prosecutor Fadil Regan (who worked on Gayus' case) and judge Muhtadi Asnun, who presided over Gayus' first trial at the Tangerang District Court. Arafat, Sri and Muhtadi were all found guilty.

The prosecutors brought multiple charges against Cirus, including abuse of power, bribery and obstruction of justice. However, they failed to prove the first two charges, though Cirus was found guilty of obstructing justice. If found guilty of all three charges, Cirus could face 12 years in prison.

Prosecutors said the aggravating factor in the case was that Cirus, as a law enforcer, had been entrusted with upholding the law but instead had violated it. "He has also lowered the public's level of trust in the justice system," Nasril said. "And he failed to show any remorse; this incriminates him."

However, Cirus conducted himself politely during the trial and has never been convicted before. "He is also ailing, and that requires intensive medical treatment. This lessens his crime," he said.

Cirus said before the trial on Thursday that he had requested to defend himself and wanted to read his defense statement soon. Presiding judge Albertina Ho said the bench had granted his request and adjourned the trial until Oct. 6.

Palmer Situmorang, a member of Cirus' legal team, which also requested to give a closing argument against the prosecution, said after the hearing that the sentence requested by the prosecutors "was too much".

"Cirus did not bring a corruption charge against Gayus because he was not a corruption prosecutor, so he had no authority to make such a charge," Palmer said.