Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Former senior Supreme Court official Zarof Ricar was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Wednesday for accepting bribes in exchange for helping secure an acquittal in a high-profile murder case and amassing an enormous fortune from unexplained sources during his tenure on the bench.
The Central Jakarta District Court found Zarof guilty of accepting illicit payments to influence the acquittal of Ronald Tannur, who was previously on trial for the murder of his girlfriend, Dini Sera Afrianti.
Presiding Judge Rosihan Juhriah Rangkuti said Zarof had conspired to sway a Supreme Court decision to uphold the controversial not-guilty verdict previously handed down by a district court. Prosecutors had appealed the ruling, prompting a review by the Supreme Court. The case had already led to the arrest of three Surabaya district court judges accused of accepting bribes to acquit Ronald.
Zarof reportedly offered Rp 5 billion (approximately $300,000) to a Supreme Court justice to ensure Ronald's acquittal would stand.
The court also revealed that Zarof had received bribes totaling Rp 915 billion (about $56 million) and 51 kilograms of gold over a 10-year period during his time at the Supreme Court.
Before retiring, Zarof held several influential roles, including Director of Criminal Case Proceedings and Head of the Research, Development, and Education Division at the Supreme Court.
Following the verdict, Zarof declined to immediately confirm whether he would appeal the sentence.
"I will think about it over the next seven days," he said briefly after the hearing.
Prosecutors, who had sought a 20-year prison term, also said they were still considering whether to appeal.
According to the prosecution, Zarof acted as a case broker during his time at the court, offering favorable verdicts in exchange for bribes from lawyers and litigants. His vast wealth – including stacks of cash and gold – was discovered during a raid on his Jakarta residence in connection with the Ronald Tannur case.