Ratu Atut Officially Fired as Banten Governor

Jakarta Globe, Jul 29, 2015

Graft convict Ratu Atut Chosiyah has officially been relieved from her post
as governor of Banten. (Antara Photo/Vitalis Yogi Trisna)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo has issued a memo discharging graft convict Ratu Atut Chosiyah from her position as governor of Banten province, a minister said on Wednesday.

“I have received an official letter from the Supreme Court and then reported it to the president through the State Secretary – the presidential decision [Keppres] has already been issued,” said Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, as quoted by news portal Detik.com.

He added that the Banten Legistlative Council (DPRD) has also received the letter, which instructed the province’s acting governor Rano Karno to replace Atut.

Last September, the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court sentenced Atut to four years imprisonment for bribing disgraced former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar to sway the results of an election dispute in Lebak, Banten. This scandal also implicated her brother Tubagus Chaeri Wardana Chasan and lawyer Susi Tur Andayani – both of whom have been convicted and sentenced to five years in jail.

The bribe was meant to overturn the results of the Lebak district election and make Amir Hamzah, Atut’s chosen candidate, the winner.