23 councillors put behind bars<\/p>\n
Hasrul, The Jakarta Post, Kendari<\/p>\n
Kendari district court on Tuesday sentenced 23 former city
\ncouncillors to one year and six months in jail, adding to the
\nlong list of councillors around the country who have been
\nincarcerated for graft.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges declared that the defendants had stolen
\nstate money by including severance pay in the city council
\nbudget, despite there being no regulation that allows such a
\npayment.<\/p>\n
By including severance pay in the council budget, the
\ncouncillors were stealing state money for their own gain and had
\nto be punished, the judges said in their verdict.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges said in the case had caused state losses
\namounting to Rp 5.9 billion.<\/p>\n
Most of the defendants, councillors who served Kendari city
\nbetween 1999 and 2004, were not reelected in the 2004 general
\nelections. Two remaining councillors -- namely Haeruddin Pondiu,
\nthe former council speaker, and Nurdin Halip, the former council
\nsecretary -- escaped prosecution as they have since passed away.<\/p>\n
The court on Tuesday was marred by chaos with family members
\nof the defendants crying hysterically after the verdict was read.<\/p>\n
Police personnel tightly guarded the court building after a
\nreport that the former councillors would mobilize supporters to
\nmount pressure against the panel of judges. The mobilization,
\nhowever, did not materialize.<\/p>\n
The 23 councillors joined hundreds of other regional
\ncouncillors who have been put into jail for corruption. The waves
\nof councillors incarcerated for graft began in year 2003 when
\ndozens of West Sumatra provincial councillors were brought to
\ncourt.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/23-councillors-put-behind-bars-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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