Rizky Amelia, Jakarta – The Indonesian Justice and Rights Ministry on Wednesday withdrew its approval for a reduction in the prison term that had been granted due to long-term illness for corruption convict Anggodo Widjojo, automatically disqualifying a parole request he had filed in September.
"His health remission was revoked this afternoon," said Handoyo Sudrajat, director general of correctional affairs at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, on Wednesday, without specifying the reason behind the decision. The reduced sentence had been approved in July.
Anggodo, who was found guilty with attempted bribery and obstruction of justice in 2010, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay Rp 250 million ($21,000) in fines for attempting to bribe antigraft investigators to halt the investigation into his brother, Anggoro Widjojo, for corruption over a contract for radio equipment at the Forestry Ministry.
Since being convicted, Anggodo has been granted several sentence cuts, totaling 24 months and 10 days, not counting the five months that had been initially approved.
In July 2014, Anggodo was granted an additional five-month sentence cut due to long-term illness, as recommended by Harapan Kita Hospital cardiologist Sony Wicaksono, who diagnosed him with angina and diabetes.
The recommendation was also backed by Teguh A.S. Ranakusuma, a neurologist from the University of Indonesia's medical department who diagnosed Anggodo with cervical bone spur, hernia nucleus pulposus (slipped disc), and tuberculosis with a secondary infection in his lung.
Anggodo in September filed a parole request to the Justice Ministry, backed by the Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung, West Java, where he is detained, on the grounds that with his health remission granted, he would have already served two thirds of his term.
With his health remission annulled, however, Handoyo said he would not be granted parole. "It means he is not qualified to get his parole," he said.
Anggodo was found guilty of attempted bribery and obstruction of justice in 2010 after for attempting to bribe antigraft investigators to halt the investigation into his brother, Anggoro Widjojo, who was investigated over the corruption of a contract for radio equipment at the Forestry Ministry.