Jakarta. The Corruption Court in Jakarta sentenced the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto to three years and six months in prison on Friday after finding him guilty in a bribery case related to a House of Representatives seat swap in the 2019–2024 term.

The court also ordered Hasto to pay a Rp 250 million ($15,200) fine or serve an additional three months in prison if unpaid.

“The court sentences the defendant Hasto Kristiyanto to three years and six months in prison and a fine of Rp 250 million, substitutable with three months’ imprisonment,” presiding judge Rios Rahmanto said during the verdict reading at the Jakarta Corruption Court.

The panel of judges, which included Sunoto and Sigit Herman Binaji, found Hasto guilty of bribery in the interim replacement (PAW) process for a South Sumatra electoral district seat. However, the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict Hasto of obstruction of justice in the ongoing investigation into fugitive politician Harun Masiku.

The sentence is lighter than the seven-year prison term and Rp 600 million fine sought by prosecutors, who argued that Hasto was guilty of bribery and of hindering the investigation into Harun Masiku, who remains at large.

Hasto and his legal team rejected the prosecutors' accusations, arguing in their defense plea that the charges ignored key facts presented during the trial. Hasto argued that the scandal is being weaponized to discredit both him and the party.

Hasto argued that the case against him is politically motivated and intended as retaliation for his criticism of former President Joko Widodo.  “Now, the Harun Masiku case is being used against me,” Hasto told the panel of judges in March.

The case centers on allegations that Hasto, along with lawyer Donny Tri Istiqomah, former PDI-P member Saeful Bahri, and Harun Masiku, paid Rp 600 million in bribes to then-election commissioner Wahyu Setiawan between 2019 and 2020. The payment was allegedly intended to secure Wahyu’s approval for Harun Masiku to replace fellow PDI-P politician Riezky Aprilia in the House of Representatives.

Hasto was also accused of ordering aides to destroy evidence, including instructing Harun, through a staffer, to submerge his mobile phone in water following Wahyu’s arrest, and telling his aide, Kusnadi, to do the same with his phone to avoid seizure by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Hasto was charged under Indonesia’s anti-corruption law, including Article 21 on obstruction of justice and Article 5 on bribery, in conjunction with provisions of the Criminal Code.