Lawyer Bangun Paulus Tudungta faces extortion trial in Jakarta

The Central Jakarta District Court has held the first hearing for lawyer Bangun Paulus Tudungta, who is accused of extorting businessman Vincent Leo Carlius. According to Prosecutor Andri Saputra, the dispute originated from an issue involving money allegedly taken by Carlius from Tudungta.

Prosecutors allege that Tudungta demanded various sums of money, ranging from Rp500 million to Rp200 million, eventually settling on Rp300 million. During the process, the defendant reportedly used threats of reporting Carlius to the police for theft. Some reports also indicate physical intimidation, including threats of violence with a hammer and being handcuffed.

The prosecution has presented alternative indictments. The first charge, under Article 482 of the New Criminal Code (UU No. 1/2023), involves extortion through threats of violence and carries a maximum sentence of nine years. The second charge, under Article 483 of the same code, involves extortion by threatening to reveal secrets, which carries a maximum sentence of four years.