Judicial Reasoning and Sentencing in Village Fund Corruption: Comparing Indonesian Court Decisions No. 8/Pid.Sus-TPK/2021/PN.Kdi and No. 138/Pid.Sus-TPK/2025/PN.Mdn
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32493/palrev.v9i1.64026Keywords:
Criminal Liability, Judicial Reasoning, Mens Rea, Sentencing, Village Fund CorruptionAbstract
Village fund corruption presents a complex challenge for criminal law when the unlawful use of public funds arises from substantially different motives. This study examines judicial reasoning and sentencing in two village fund corruption cases involving contrasting circumstances: the use of village funds for personal enrichment and their use to finance urgent medical treatment for a village head’s seriously ill spouse. It aims to determine the extent to which mens rea should influence criminal liability and sentencing in village fund corruption. This normative legal research employs statutory and case approaches by comparatively examining Decision No. 8/Pid.Sus-TPK/2021/PN.Kdi and Decision No. 138/Pid.Sus-TPK/2025/PN.Mdn within the framework of Indonesian anti-corruption law and principles of criminal responsibility. The findings demonstrate that personal enrichment accompanied by unlawful intent justifies criminal liability when the objective and subjective elements of corruption are established. Conversely, unlawful village fund expenditure motivated by an urgent humanitarian circumstance requires a more nuanced assessment of culpability, particularly regarding mens rea, motive, and the degree of blameworthiness. The study concludes that adjudicating village fund corruption should not rely solely on financial irregularities but should integrate legality with substantive justice through a comprehensive assessment of the defendant’s culpability and the circumstances underlying the offense.
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