Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – The Supreme Court has reduced the sentence for disgraced Democratic Party lawmaker Angelina Sondakh and the amount of restitution from the harsher sentence she was given two years ago, a court spokesman said on Wednesday.
Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi confirmed that Angelina's sentence had been reduced to 10 years from the previous 12 years in prison in a judicial review.
The court also drastically reduced the amount of restitution to the state that Angelina was ordered to pay from Rp 12.5 billion ($905,797) to Rp 2.5 billion, as well from $2.35 million to $1.2 million.
Suhadi explained that a judicial review of a case could be filed for three reasons, namely new findings, discrepancies between decisions at each court level and judges' negligence.
However, he refused to give further details, saying the complete verdict would soon be published on the Supreme Court's official website.
Supreme Court chief justice Hatta Ali claimed that the matter had been considered thoroughly by the judges.
"I have not read the respective judges' considerations. However, it is impossible for judges to reduce a sentence without legal basis. I cannot comment further on this decision as it would violate our code of ethics," he told journalists at the Supreme Court office.
Former beauty queen Angelina was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison in 2012 after she was found guilty in corruption cases at the Education Ministry and Youth and Sport Ministry.
In November 2013, the Supreme Court increased her sentence to 12 years in prison and ordered her to pay Rp 12.5 billion and Rp 2.35 million in restitution following an appeal filed by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). (rin)