2 September 2014
Ratu Atut Chosiyah, the first female to be elected as a provicial Governor, was jailed for four years on Monday, for bribing constitutional court’s then chief justice, Akil Mochtar over an election dispute. She was also ordered to pay a fine of 200 million rupiah (US$17,000).
A special anti-corruption court in Jakarta found her guilty of bribing Mochtar with one billion rupiah (US$85,000) to quash a local election result in Banten that went against one of her close associates.
She is the head of one of the country’s most powerful political families in wealthy Banten province on the main island of Java.
The governor’s brother, Tubagus Chaeri Wardana, was jailed for five years in June for attempting to bribe Mochtar to influence his decisions on election disputes in Banten, after a separate trial. Despite the scandal, the governor’s family remain powerful in the province.
Mochtar was jailed for life in June for taking bribes of more than US$5 million to influence rulings on election disputes, linked to the case of Chosiyah and a series of others.
Her father, Haji Tubagus Chasan Sochib was a widely known in the Banten area.
At the time of Ratu Atut’s reelection in 2011 it was reported that her husband, was member in the Indonesian People’s Representative Council.
Her younger sister, Ratu Tatu Chasanah, was the deputy district head of Serang Regency in Banten.
Her step-brother, Tb Haerul Nurjaman, was deputy mayor of Serang.
Her son, Andika Hazrumy, was a member of the Regional Representative Council in Jakarta.
Her daughter-in-law, Adde Khairunnisa, was the deputy speaker of the Serang regional council.
Her step-mother, Heryani, is the deputy regent of the Pandeglang regancy, part of Banten province.
Her sister-in-law, Airin Rachmi Diany, ran for election as head of the South Tangerang regency. She was elected after some controversy.
