Jakarta, July 20, 2025 – The Jakarta Corruption Court’s verdict sentencing former Minister of Trade Tom Lembong to 4.5 years in prison continues to draw public attention. Amid the wide range of public opinion, several legal experts stress the importance of respecting the court’s ruling as part of a legitimate and lawful judicial process.
One such voice is Dr. Drs. Edi Saputra Hasibuan, S.H., M.H., Executive Director of the Indonesian Police Strategic Studies Institute (LEMKAPI), who firmly stated that the verdict against Tom Lembong is not a case of criminalization.
“This has been a long legal process, not something that happened suddenly. It has gone through all the necessary stages, from investigation and prosecution to evidence-based trial proceedings,” Edi emphasized.
According to Edi, claims that the verdict is politically motivated or a form of criminalization are misleading and baseless. He noted that judges would only issue a ruling based on the legal facts and evidence presented in court.
“We must recognize that this is clearly a legal issue. So if anyone tries to link it to politics or claim it’s criminalization, I believe that’s simply not the case. The judges reached their decision based on facts and evidence presented during the trial,” he explained.
As a legal scholar and observer, Edi also reminded the public that the judiciary’s independence must be upheld and protected. He stressed that respecting legal processes is essential to building a justice system with integrity.
“As academics, we certainly respect the legal process that has taken place. This is a purely legal matter, and we do not see it as criminalization,” he reiterated.
Edi concluded by calling on all parties to approach the case with maturity, objectivity, and a commitment to upholding the legal process—without being swayed by narratives that could distort the core substance of the case.
