Former Indonesian governor sentenced to prison for taking state funds

Former Indonesian governor sentenced to prison for taking state funds

2011-08-16 09:51:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Suspended North Sumatra Governor Syamusul Arifin was sentenced by an Indonesian court on Monday to more than two years in prison on corruptions charges.

Chairman of the Jakarta Corruption Court's panel of judges, Tjokorda, announced the verdict after it was proven that Syamusul disposed of Rp 97.8 billion ($11.4 million) of state budget for personal expenses, the Antara news agency reported.

The funds were used for Syamsul's personal use after he had ordered staff members Buyung Ritonga, who was the chief cashier of Langkat district administration, Surya Jahisa, chief financier, and Aswan Supri, acting financier and Taufik, to take out the government money.

The Public Attorney from the Corruption Eradication Commission had requested Syamsul - who attended the trial in a wheelchair due to his health conditions - to be sentenced to a five-year prison term in addition to a Rp 500 million ($58,500) fine. But the panel of judges gave the former governor a prison term of just two years and six months with a fine of Rp 150 million ($17,550).

Prosecutors argued for the longer prison term since Syamasul had only been able to repay Rp 80.1 billion of the Rp 88.2 billion. However, judges said his payments were enough in order to avoid the longer term as his family had 'only' used around Rp 57 billion

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