Jakarta – Former Minister of Trade during President Joko Widodo’s administration, Thomas Trikasih Lembong, also known as Tom Lembong, has officially been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison due to sugar importation policies carried out during his tenure.
Tom Lembong’s legal defense team expressed strong objections to the verdict, arguing that the judge’s ruling overlooked key facts presented during the trial and failed to establish any malicious intent (mens rea) on the part of the defendant.
“Neither the charges nor the verdict mentioned mens rea or criminal intent. This proves during the trial that Mr. Thomas Trikasih Lembong had no malicious intent in his actions,” stated Tom Lembong’s attorney, Ari Yusuf Amir.
Another member of the legal team, Dodi S. Abdulkadir, added that the court’s decision ignored the policy-making process, which falls under the legitimate duties and responsibilities of a minister.
According to Dodi, witness testimonies during the trial clearly showed that Tom Lembong neither acted for personal or third-party gain, nor caused proven financial losses to the state.
“By disregarding the facts of the trial, this verdict opens the door for the next court to review and improve upon this decision to ensure legal certainty,” Dodi explained.
In a separate statement, presiding judge Alfis Setiawan acknowledged that although Tom Lembong’s actions were deemed unlawful and caused state losses, the Central Jakarta Corruption Court found no evidence that Lembong personally profited from the corruption.
This was mentioned as one of the mitigating considerations during sentencing.
“The defendant did not enjoy any personal gain from the criminal act of corruption,” Alfis stated.
Other mitigating factors noted included Lembong’s previously clean legal record, his respectful demeanor in court, and his voluntary deposit of funds to the Attorney General’s Office during the investigation as restitution for the state’s losses.
On the other hand, Dr. Edi Hasibuan, Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Law and Criminology Lecturers (ADIHGI), emphasized that the 4.5-year sentence was the result of a thorough legal process, based on valid evidence examined in court.
According to Dr. Edi, this verdict demonstrates that the judicial system operates objectively, holding every individual accountable for actions that harm the state—even when no direct financial gain was received by the accused.
Despite the controversy surrounding the ruling, many members of the public have welcomed the verdict as a significant step in law enforcement. The sentence reinforces the principle that no one is above the law, regardless of former high-ranking positions.
